Bloomfield Auto Repair School Gives Free Lessons To Teens

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — An automotive repair school in Bloomfield recently gave more than a dozen teens from North Jersey to get their hands dirty – and gain some top-level professional experience with fixing cars.

This summer, Universal Technical Institute’s (UTI) Bloomfield campus gave 16 high school students a head start preparing for careers in the transportation industry. The experience was part of Ignite, a free summer program for juniors.

The high schools represented by students this summer were Bergen Christian Academy, Bergen County Technical High School, Bogota High School, East Side High School, Edison High School, Essex County Newark Tech, HARP Academy, Metuchen High School, Montclair High School, Newark Collegiate, Northern Highlands High School, Thomas Edison High School, West Caldwell Vocational Tech, and West Essex Regional High School.

Students completed the coursework in August, learning vital automotive engine basics along the way.

UTI launched the Ignite program nationwide in the summer 2018 following a successful pilot program at campuses in Arizona, Texas and Florida. Participation has steadily increased, and to date, 937 high school juniors nationwide have received “state-of-the-industry” STEM training at no cost, spokespeople said.

The Ignite program was closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. But it returned this year, with participants and instructors following state-recommended coronavirus safety protocols.

Participants who complete the Ignite program are eligible to receive credit toward future UTI courses.

“With the economy recovering from the pandemic there’s never been a better time to find employment in transportation and skilled trades,” UTI Bloomfield President Shawn Alexander said.

“The demand for skilled technicians is strong, and there are many opportunities,” Alexander said. “Through Ignite, high school students earn real-world, on-the-job experience while having doors opened to careers they may never have considered.”

• See related article: Bloomfield Auto Repair School Says Demand For Welders Is Red Hot

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