November 10, 2014 - Army Veteran Finds Civilian Success Through Education at UTI-Avondale
As his parents, siblings and his service dog, a nine-year-old pit bull named Zipper, sat proudly in the audience, Matthew Christenson was decked out in his cap and gown, preparing to enter the next phase of his career.
Most people don’t decide on their future career paths at the age of six, but Christenson fell in love with vehicle maintenance and repair the first time that he helped his dad service the family’s 1987 Chevy Suburban.
“My dad asked me to help him pack the wheel bearings with grease. At first I was nervous and reluctant to get my hands all dirty, but as soon as I put my hands in that bucket of grease I knew that I wanted to fix cars when I grew up,” Christenson said.
Of course it would be a few years before Christenson’s dreams were realized, and his path, like that of most people, wasn’t necessarily a direct one.
Christenson joined the Army to troubleshoot and repair much larger vehicles than his family’s Suburban as both a track mechanic and wheel technician. He spent several years repairing tanks, Humvees and other military vehicles as a sergeant in the Army.
He knew he wanted to take his technical training further. “I knew that attending Universal Technical Institute (UTI) was a no-brainer – it was just obviously the best choice to further my education.”
Christenson graduated from UTI in June at the top of his class. He didn’t miss a single day of classes in his program and he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. He credits the discipline he gained as a member of the Army for his success.
“My military background really helped me prepare for my time at UTI; the military training I received not only gave me basic understanding and technical skills, but taught me the discipline to complete the rigorous coursework at UTI.”
Christenson is not alone; he is one of many former military students at UTI who have chosen to further the skills they’ve acquired serving the country by pursuing specialized training to help them transition into successful civilian careers as automotive technicians.
“The focused, work-oriented curriculum at UTI attracts hard-working veterans who are looking to make the move into solid, well-paying careers in the civilian world,” comments Mike Romano, campus president of the UTI-Avondale campus. “We take pride in helping those who have served our country on campus with accommodations such as dedicated advisors and other ways to optimize success.”
Christenson wants to return to UTI for further dealer-specific training. He’s hoping to move to Houston for the UTI-Nissan program in the fall. Regardless of where he lands, one thing is for certain ‒ with his drive and discipline he’ll do well at whatever he sets his mind to.
