November 3, 2014 - BMW Master-Tech Training Has Driven Universal Technical Institute Grad to Prosperous Career
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“I’m not up for talking about it. I’m for being about it.”
33-year-old Ingrid Jackson, assistant service manager at BMW Portland, lives by this mantra from mixed-martial arts champion Gina Carano.
Jackson has proven herself by hard work and determination in a male-dominated field … and credits her success to a bit of her Annie Oakley-style fortitude. As the only girl in her family and growing up with two brothers, she found it easy to ditch the Barbie dolls and take up bicycles and deal with broken bones instead. Naturally, she gravitated to a hands-on career in the automotive industry.
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, only 1.8 percent of automotive technicians in the U.S. are women. Jackson never let these numbers phase her.
Hailing from the small town of Willcox, Arizona (population 3,698), she attended an auto tech school on full scholarship because her high school auto shop teacher encouraged her to enroll in a local competition, which she won.
After graduation, she wanted to specialize in a vehicle maintenance program with a high difficulty factor.
“BMW is one of the most challenging programs to get into,” Jackson recalled. “So I decided to hold myself to a high standard and become a Master-certified BMW technician.”
The Road to BMW
In 2000, her path led her to the BMW Service Technician Education Program (STEP) at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Orlando. The 24-week, post-graduate course of study enables students to explore the latest in BMW’s renowned technology. With tuition funded by sponsorships from individual dealerships, STEP students can look forward to graduating as BMW Level One-certified technicians with plentiful job prospects.
BMW STEP instructors at UTI remember Jackson as a student with lots of determination.
So much in fact, that after graduation she went on and became the first (and only) woman to win the Association of Certified Technicians competition, a national BMW-sponsored tech event that involved both written and mechanical aptitude tests. Her prize was a fully paid trip to Australia.
When Jackson graduated from UTI in 2001, the school recommended her for an entry-level service position at Braman BMW in West Palm Beach, Fla.
“Braman BMW had to add a woman’s restroom to their garage so she could work there,” said Jeff Pittman, education manager at UTI’s BMW Service Technician Education Program. “They were glad she was on the team and always asked us for ‘other Ingrids’ graduates that we could refer to them.”
Fifteen years later, Jackson is still working for BMW, but now at BMW Portland.
To stay in shape for such a physically demanding job, Jackson has taken up cycling, weights, running, CrossFit and even meditation to stay mentally focused.
“I always tell people – regardless if they’re a man or a woman – you get out of a career what you put into it,” Jackson said. “It’s difficult and physically demanding work … but it’s rewarding, and I enjoy mentoring up-and-coming BMW technicians.”
Female Technicians High in Demand
Women make up about 30 percent of BMW’s global design staff and the brand focuses on strength in diversity.
“For the past decade, the industry has had a skilled automotive technician shortage,” said Jeff Cline, service director at BMW Portland. “At BMW, we aim to get the best of the best – and that means employing a diverse and highly skilled team – people with the qualifications and drive like Ingrid.”
What does Jackson credit as the keys to success at BMW? She points to understanding the industry’s rapidly changing technologies, having an eye for detail, and being committed to customer service and hard work.
“We always tell our students you need to love what you do and to have the mentality that you get to go to work every day, not that you have to go to work every day,” added Pittman. “There’s a big difference, and I know Ingrid loves her job … that’s why she’s such a success story.”
