August 27, 2014 - Burrillville High School Students Pursuing Passion for Cars at Universal Technical Institute
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Burrillville high school students Harrison Moran and Nicholas Pennine, along with their automotive instructor Tim Durigan, proudly display the trophy they earned for winning the Rhode Island Ford/AAA Auto Skills Competition. |
Harrison Moran of Pascoag and Nicholas Pennine of Mapleville, 2014 graduates of Burrillville High School in Rhode Island, will be pursuing their passion for cars when both begin the automotive technology program at Universal Technical Institute (UTI), the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. Both will be attending the UTI campus in Norwood, Massachusetts this fall. Moran and Pennine were each awarded $10,000 UTI scholarships as the first-place team in the state-level FORD/AAA Auto Skills Competition held in May.
Timothy Durigan, the automotive class instructor at Burrillville High, worked with Moran and Pennine to prepare them for the hands-on challenge of the competition, diagnosing and repairing an intentionally “bugged” 2014 Ford Fiesta. Burrillville High School, where Durigan has been an automotive instructor since 1991, is the only non-vocational high school with a student team who qualified to compete in the statewide competition. As the winning team, Moran and Pennine represented Rhode Island at the national competition in June at the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, where they placed a prestigious seventh among dozens of teams from across the country.
“Harrison and Nicholas are passionate about cars and participating in an automotive class at Burrillville High led by dedicated instructor Tim Durigan has strengthened their passion,” says UTI admissions representative Scott Yagnesak. “It’s wonderful to see the success they’ve achieved through their passion, hard work, and dedication, and I’m proud that UTI can support their opportunity to pursue a career in this high-demand field.”
At a time when many graduates are struggling to find a job, demand for auto technicians is on the rise. According to Crain’s Detroit Business, about half of all current technicians will be eligible to retire within 15 years. According to Yagnesak, auto technicians have become a high-demand high-tech career choice and there’s a growing need for qualified auto technicians who are trained to work with the complex systems and components in today’s cars. Many local employers are working closely with UTI to help them build their job pipeline and fill open positions for qualified, entry-level technicians.
