The Technician Roadtrip Begins
(Scottsdale, Arizona) – April 17, 2017 TechForce Foundation and Universal Technical Institute, Inc. are proud to announce the launch of our Technicians’ Roadtrip, which launched on Sunday, April 16, 2017. You can follow the roadtrip at roadtripnation.com, meet the technician “roadtrippers,” and follow their journey.
The actual roadtrip and filming is happening now, and throughout this summer, the footage will be produced for the final PBS show, as well as high school and FutureTech Success microsite content which will be unveiled early Fall.
The three roadtrippers are: Dylan, a current student at NASCAR Tech in Mooresville, North Carolina; Michael, a future student who will be attending the UTI-Sacramento campus in California and Alexandra, who will be attending this UTI-Dallas campus this year.
Roadtrippers:
Michael , Age 18 
From Clatskanie, OR
Michael was six years old when his dad finished his passion project: outfitting his 1988 Dodge Ramcharger with a 440 engine he’d built. Even at that young age, the feeling of looking in the rearview mirror and seeing burnout smoke made its impression—it transformed Michael into a gearhead for life. But growing up in a small town with a population of just 1,700 people, Michael has struggled to find a community of fellow car-lovers. That’s why whenever he gets the chance, he heads to Portland, where he’s active in the city’s autocross scene. About to graduate from high school, and heading to school at UTI’s Sacramento campus in the fall, Michael is excited to finally be surrounded by peers who share his passions. But first, he’s ready to hit the road and see the opportunities that exist for technicians nationwide.
Alexandra , Age 18 
From Marysville, WA
Alexandra has loved vehicles her whole life: growing up, her summer vacations revolved around taking off-road adventures on her family’s Jeeps and quads. But it wasn’t until she took a small engine repair class in high school that she realized she could get serious about a career as a technician. While she waits to start her technical training, she’s working at her dad’s accounting firm, where she often faces pressure to follow in his footsteps. But whenever she’s stuck sitting in the office, she’s dreaming about when she can next visit the local speedway, or take her Honda 300ex ATV out for a spin. Entering a male-dominated field, she knows she faces some rough terrain ahead; she hopes this trip will introduce her to trailblazing women who can give her the reassurance she needs to continue down her path. Alexandra starts at UTI’s Dallas campus in the fall.
Dylan, Age 19 
From Huntersville, NC
Both his father and grandfather work as mechanics, so it’s no stretch to say that working on cars is in Dylan’s blood. But while his mentors were able to enter the field without degrees, Dylan knows that the industry has since become highly technical and crazy competitive—which is why he was the first in his family to leave Wyoming and pursue a higher education. Currently studying at the NASCAR Technical Institute—inspired by childhood memories of watching races with his father—Dylan is almost finished with his technician training, but he’s unsure of where his road will go next. His dream is to use his specialty in interiors and engines to “restore old cars and give them the life that they deserve,” but first, he needs to see all the ways in which he can turn that vision into a reality.
We will continue to keep you posted along the way, and stay tuned for more information on what to expect in the fall, including screening events at our campuses and airings of our Tech Roadtrip episode on PBS.
Many thanks to TechForce Foundation supporter, Shell Lubricants: featuring Pennzoil and Rotella for providing funding so that TechForce Foundation can be a proud sponsor of this fabulous journey!
For more information, contact Jennifer Maher, TechForce Foundation, jmaher@techforce.org or Jody Kent, Universal Technical Institute, jkent@uti.edu.
