March 11, 2015 - Academic Drive Earns Student A New Ride
Nothing was going to stand between 19-year-old Bob Kennard and his dream of becoming an automotive service technician – not even a five-hour commute.
In August 2013, Bob enrolled in UTI’s Automotive and Diesel Technology Program at the Exton campus, and for more than a year he woke up every day at 9 a.m. to catch a bus from his Northeast Philadelphia home to the train, which took him to Center City. There, a UTI van picked him up and drove him to the campus. He arrived at UTI-Exton around 1:15 p.m., attended classes and labs until early evening, and arrived back home by 10:30 p.m., just in time to study and prepare for another exhausting commute.
All of this changed right before Christmas when Bogg’s Auto Collision, a Woodbury, New Jersey auto body shop, got wind of Bob’s story and, inspired by his commitment, gave him a free, totally refurbished car. Jim and Jason Boggs, the father and son duo who own the body shop, participate in the Acoat Selected National Benevolence Program, which helps auto repair shops across the country take in cars written off as useless after accidents, restore them, and then donate them to a local individual or family in need of safe, reliable transportation. The charity was founded by paint company Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc. 15 years ago. This year, nearly 200 vehicles will be given away through the program’s charitable efforts across the United States.
Thanks to the Acoat program, Bob’s commute to school is two times shorter. But a means of getting to school is just one of many challenges Bob has had to overcome in his life. At the age of 12, he lost his mother to leukemia, and his father was not around much. With such a limited support system at a young age, Bob could have easily become a statistic, dropping out of school and taking to the streets. Instead, he turned his adversity into positive energy to help pursue his dream of becoming an automotive service technician. He stayed in school and kept up with his studies. Currently Bob’s academic performance puts him in the top 10 percent of his class at UTI-Exton.
He is due to graduate from UTI-Exton later this month and, thanks to his hard work and perseverance, has been invited to attend the prestigious Peterbilt Program at UTI’s Dallas-Ft. Worth campus. As a Peterbilt Technician Institute (PTI) student, Bob will go through a 12-week intensive program that will help him develop the manufacturer-specific skills valued by Peterbilt’s more than 300 dealerships across the country. To be accepted to this elite program designed specifically for the premium American truck brand, students must have a high GPA and stellar attendance from their previous UTI training.
Bob credits UTI’s quality training programs, their relationships with leading auto manufacturers and the school’s commitment to student success for helping him to pursue a rewarding career in the automotive industry.
The best part about Bob’s upcoming move to Texas? He has a shiny 2001 Honda Accord to get him there.
