Wurth USA and Universal Technical Institute (UTI) have announced a partnership expansion for 2020 at NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina.

To commemorate and celebrate, Richard Schiavoni, head of Würth Academy and a 33-year veteran of Wurth USA, was joined by his team of six regional trainers, along with John Dodson, UTI’s VP business alliances & NASCAR, Tony Frassetto, UTI’s senior account manager, business alliances, and Jennifer Bergeron, campus president, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 21. 

The guest of honor was Astrid Lynn, a rising star in the U.S. performance racing industry and a proud partner of Wurth USA. As a dual-threat driver and hands-on technician, Astrid and her team have been working hard over the last two years, developing her driving skills and preparing her BMW E36. At the age of 16, she obtained her competition license and will race in events across several organizations in 2020, including NASA SRO America, and AER.

Since 2018, Würth has also been a proud partner of Universal Technical Institute, supporting its purpose and mission to support students in achieving their career dreams by providing state-of-the-industry technical training. With more than 250 million vehicles on the road in the United States, the demand for skilled trades continues to rise. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that, by 2026, there will be more than 1.2 million job openings nationally across the automotive, diesel and collision repair industries.

Each year, Würth contributes chemical products, electrical supplies, hardware, shop safety/PPE equipment and storage solutions that UTI students utilize during hands-on classroom training. Würth has a branded classroom in four of UTI’s 13 campus locations, including Lisle, Illinois, Mooresville, North Carolina, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Orlando, Florida. As part of the partnership expansion, Würth will also have branded classrooms at the Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Long Beach, California, campuses this year. 

“The Würth Academy’s mission is to improve the level of safety, service and performance in the automotive industry. Our regional trainers have more than 100 years of combined industry experience. Additionally, our team has enjoyed long and successful sales careers at Wurth USA. Now we’re seeing the next wave of highly skilled technicians enter the workforce and their needs are different. The industry is constantly and rapidly evolving and, as a business, we’ve adapted to become more technically savvy. Our territory sales representatives all carry iPads. We have e-learning platforms and videos on our products. We’re embracing change while staying true to our purpose – continuing education,” said Schiavoni.

Not only are these classrooms utilized by UTI students, but Wurth USA’s Regional Trainers also conduct hands-on training for sales colleagues and newly-hired employees. 

“Our goal in 2020 is to hire 60 more territory sales representatives. Würth remains committed to having the most knowledgeable experts in the industry to be consultants for our customers. That begins with a comprehensive on-boarding program and continues with hands-on product and sales training. Our people are our brand ambassadors and our training program continues to lay solid foundations for long and successful careers at Wurth USA,” said Aaron Brading, CEO.

With 30+ OEM manufacturer relationships, many of whom are also Würth customers, Universal Technical Institute is committed to connecting highly-skilled graduates with career opportunities. Through employment assistance programs like early employment program, professional resume development, interview training, and a nationwide job database, UTI goes above and beyond in its commitment to supporting students along their career path.

“We are thrilled to welcome a partner that appreciates education and collaboration as much as Würth. They are a quality company with wonderful products and we’re honored that they recognize UTI as an extension to their family,” said Dodson.