Hands-On Technical Colleges

[Miss Critter]

We're starting to look at technical colleges for Junior Critter for next year. He's not a classroom kind of kid, so a hands-on program is a must. He spends all his free time in the garage. We're looking for the best motorsports, auto fabrication and/or diesel mechanics programs out there, preferably in the southeast, but the quality of the program is more important than its location.

Can any of you recommend some places for us to begin our search? Thanks!

 

[Kurt]

My nephew is going to UTI in Orlando and loves it - http://www.uti.edu

Tuition has been recently lowered for new enrollees.

 

[Alicia Leonard]

Jr. Critter and you are very smart. He will always be able to find a job. I always see ads for mechanics and such and the pay is pretty darn good, too! I have often lamented that I wished I had learned more from my dad about fixing cars. He didn't go to school for it and was military, but he could fix anything with parts. I may go myself in the very near future and take a class at our tech. school here, so I can work on my own truck.

 

[Miss Critter]

Thanks, kurt and Alicia! My dad was a "trade school" graduate and had a well-paying career as an aircraft mechanic for a major oil company. When they went to four 10-hour days, he used the other three to start a swimming pool contracting business. I admit we were spoiled; rarely did one of our cars go in the shop, and that was only later, when everything became computerized. Junior seems to have inherited Dad's mechanical ability, and Mr. C and I want to provide him the best possible career path with the most options. You can't outsource those jobs. We're looking at either diesel technology or motorsports/automotive fabrication right now.