LISLE, Ill. (May 17, 2022) – In the spirit of “You can’t be what you can’t see,” Universal Technical Institute (UTI) hosted more than 100 female high school students from the greater Chicago area at its Lisle, Ill. campus, so they could learn about rewarding career opportunities in the transportation sector. The Women in STEM Skilled Trades Conference, put on by UTI and IGNITE Worldwide, a non-profit working to achieve gender equity in STEM education and careers, included an interactive tour, project-based learning demonstrations and a panel discussion featuring successful women who are UTI graduates and industry leaders.
Panelist Jana Duerkop, a BMW Technician for BMW-Schereville in Indiana, said she believes it’s important to encourage more women to pursue STEM education and careers in typically male-dominated industries, so they pursue their passions and bring more talent to the field.
“I want these students to know there are a plethora of avenues to explore and incredible opportunities to take advantage of through UTI,” said Duerkop. “Most importantly, what you get out of a UTI education is directly correlated to what you put into it.”
Additional panelists included Gloria Wunschel, director of human resources at TransChicago Truck Group, Jane Clark, vice president of member services at NationaLease and Maggie Schwanitz, robotics and automation department director/instructor at MIAT College of Technology.
"Employers are constantly looking for more automotive, diesel and welding technicians," said Universal Technical Institute-Lisle campus president Roger Gomez. "Women have traditionally been underrepresented in these sectors, but that's something we've been working to address with IGNITE Worldwide. Between this event and our May open house, we’re opening a lot of eyes to the fact that with less than a year of technical training after high school, there are great job opportunities graduates are prepared to pursue.”
Research by both McKinsey and Harvard Business School has found that gender-diverse employers tend to be more productive and exhibit stronger financial performance relative to their non-diverse competitors. However, women represent just over one in four STEM workers. Currently, workforce demand in the transportation sector is significant nationwide, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a combined average of more than 146,000 new openings each year for automotive, diesel and welding jobs in the U.S.[1]
UTI has also offered a combined $100,000 in tuition grants to eligible students who have attended a virtual or in-person IGNITE Worldwide event.
About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute's (NYSE: UTI) mission is to serve our students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and support services for in-demand careers. Approximately 250,000 students have graduated from one of UTI's 15 campuses located across Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Texas. UTI's campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), while its employer-aligned technical training programs are offered under four brands: Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute / Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology. For more information and a complete list of all programs offered, please visit www.uti.edu or follow on LinkedIn @UniversalTechnicalInstitute and Twitter @news_UTI.
