automotive schools
 

I am trying to get more information on automotive schools.. i live in the chicago area.. UTI is one i came across but im still researching it a little bit more i want to go check it out.. but i also want to learn about rotary engines.. they are my passion i guess.. im not really into piston motors even though they are much more common.
are their any schools that would teach ho to rebuild rotary engines? or does one have to learn on their own or go work for mazda rebuild facilities to learn about them? ive been trying to find information online but i have found nothing but guides on how to rebuild your rotary engines..
im looking for a school.

any suggestions?

There are plenty of certification schools like UTI, WyoTech, Lincoln Tech, etc. around the country. Their classes are good and they have a lot of corporate sponsorship, but that does not guarantee you a job. There are also many two year programs offered by colleges. These programs will be a little more in-depth and will include all of your basic college curriculum. While you can’t complete them in 9 months, you will earn a degree (which is evermore important). There are also a handful of colleges that offer a 4 year automotive degree (outside of design or engineering). I have a Bachelors degree in Automotive Technology Management from Pennsylvania College of Technology. PCT is a "special affiliate school" of Penn State in Williamsport, PA. There was next to no time spent in the classroom or lab with rotary engines. But, that did not stop me from making a presentation in speech class about why the rotary engine was the best automotive powertrain (following the RENESIS winning the International Engine of the Year award in ’04).

yeah its tough.. i wanted to get into mechanical eginneering.. but i want to fall more into the automotive industry. its a tough road but it cant be done lol.. if it where easy everybody would be doing it! lol
i just really want to learn how to build rotaries..
also i would love to help improve on the rotary platform.
i want to design my own motors.. also want to get into graphics design.

but a degree is a good idea.. no one can take that away from you.. soo what suggestons would you have??? go through with a degree or get a certification and then pursue my degree?

my bro goes to lincoln tech in philly and he would like to specialize in rotaries too :)

does he?? do they teach you about rotaries in lincoln tech? is that a degree or is that a certification school?

All rotary engineering work is in Japan. The only thing Mazda does in the US is design.
If you want a BSME to get in the automotive industry, you need to go to U of MI. But, because Detroit is in the toilet, don't expect to get a job with all the layoffs going on.
UTI has a training center in Glendale Heights, IL. There are people in the RX7 community going there. College of DuPage has a great automotive program.

A mechanic is a mechanic in terms of training. If you can rebuild a piston engine you can rebuild a rotary. Question is, are you mechanically inclined, are you a hard worker, can you pull an engine when your knuckles are frozen? Ask the member here that works at the rotary rebuild factory what his background is.

ive pulled motors out.. ive pulled my tranny.. its just a matter of learning more in depth.. i wish i could go to japan! lol and study for rotaries..
i heard of uti but its a certification school.. i have a appointment today to check out lincoln school and see whats up to get my associates degre and then trasfer out to go after my engineering in mechanical science.. man.. all this thinking is mind boggling but neds to get done.

a mechanic is a mechanic in a nutshell but taking it to the next level ields greater advantages in my opinion idk

anyone else have any suggestions

Well if you wanna make no more than 50k a year for the rest of your life then I guess. IMO, there really isn't a career involving rotary engines.

50k a year is not bad at all. its the spending that screws poeple over:icon_no2:

I went to UTI here in Az about 3 years ago and for me it was a great experience. i learned alot. Once i graduated i landed a job at a mitsubishi dealership and i made very good money there. Then work slowed down and it kinda sucks but sooner or later it will pick back up again and i'll be back to buying mods for my 8 lol:lol:

lincoln tech sucks, don't waste your money. UTI or Wyotech might be better, but i wouldn't count on it. i'd look into your local colleges and see if they offer any automotive classes that also include a degree (that way, if the industry is failing *ahem*, atleast you still have a degree to get another job). also, if you work for a specific manufacturer, they'll send you to training or even better, a dealership university.

also, like 9krpm said, you're not gonna be making much of a career working on rotaries (you'd need YEARS of experience just to get your name out there). the economy is in shit right now, and the auto industry isn't doing so well (i know, i'm in it and it's sucking). keep that in mind too...

There is ALOT more to living a rich life than how much $ you make. Most people work in jobs they either hate or could care less about just to pay the bills, whether the job pays alot or a little. If this is truly your passion then $50K/yr will be more than enough for you to live a comfortable, happy life. At least you will enjoy waking up and going to work, that in itself is priceless.

If you want to work with rotaries, i would suggest you go through the automotive certification/training at one of those accredited schools listed above, all the while broadening ur undestanding of the rotary and maybe even tearing a few down and building back up. After you graduate, try to get hired at a rotary specialty establishment, ie. Rotary Performance, Atkins Rotary, ect...Yes, these are far and few between and im not sure there are any in your area, but im sure their doors arent being knocked down with new talent looking for a career.

^ totally agree.

i would try to start off at a dealership and have them send you to school instead of you paying out of your own pocket. :mchase:
( i just wanted to use the new "mummy" for shits and giggles so dont mind it haha)

^^Mummy IS pretty damn cool

If you're in the Chicago area check out Triton College in River Grove. I went there for automotive tech and they have a lot of good full time instructors. Only downside is certain advanced classes are only offered in one time slot per semester so if you're working scheduling will be a concern. They have a lot of real vehicles to work on and when I left they have a manufacturer training program with Toyota and GM. Plus unless you know someone with an address in-district you pay out of district cost which is something like $150 (I think) per credit hour vs like $50/hr last time I checked. Don't quote me on the prices though.

Regardless of where you go though, you're not gonna get any real indepth training with the Rotary. At most all I had was mentioning of it as an alternative powerplant.

I didn't say it was all about the money but making a lot of money allows you to do the things you love with the people you love. Money does not buy happiness but it help to provide for your family. I only "like" my job(s) but I love the money because it means I can take my kids to Key West and stuff and have memories that last forever. I don't want my kids to incur debt in college so I'm glad I'll have that money saved to pay for their education. On 50k a year its tough to cover all the things in life. Maybe its enough when you don't have kids but not for me.

I want to retire by 60 and if I made 50k a year I would not be able to enjoy my retirement the way I want.

so you dont think any of those schools are that good? lincoln tech seems ok.. i just like the fact that u can get your associates degree and transfer out to another school. i know the auto industry is in the pitts right now lol

sooooo uti was a great choice? im gonna go check both of them out and see what else i can see.. only time will tell.. wh do you guys say loncoln tech sucks?

i went to lincoln tech. they overcharge you and only teach you basic entry level knowledge. notice how i didn't say skill, that only comes with time and experience. also, lincoln tech doesn't give you any ASE cert or degree after finishing...so whatever they say you get, it's all bullshit. only thing you get is a certificate saying you completed their automotive program. complete joke.

ASE you can only get with work in the field. Its something like two years working in the industry or half school half work.

Triton is a college and can either get a certificate or a full degree with it. I skipped a few classes so I don't have a full degree with them yet, but most of my college credits are automotive. Considering that they are backed by a couple manufacturers, the instructors and classes are all ASE certified you can't get much better than that.

But at the same time, NOTHING prepares you fully for field work. All schools are about giving you the tools to survive and then YOU have to go from there. Even in the Military its like that. Triton can try to help you get a job with a dealer but without experience its hard to get your foot in the door.

never heard of triton college.. but i just checked out thier website they have eveything mapped out very well.. how do you like it their???

I went to the UTI in Gelndale Heights. It was a great experience for me because my goal was to absorb everything and study the information I was given until I knew it like the back of my hand. Most of the training is generalized for working on all types of vehicles, but the basic knowledge you gain there can be applied to many situations. The problem that you will find when you actually enter a dealership is that no matter how much you learn at school, you won't know jack shit when you walk into a dealer. This is because every manufacturer and every model have their own little "quirks" and secrets that you only learn by experiencing them in the field or being taught by your co-workers.

My advice is go to a good school like UTI(Lincoln Tech is a shit hole) and aim to learn as much as possible. Try not to get caught up or hang out with all the burn-outs and losers that go there too. If you want to work with rotary engines then get a job at a local Mazda dealer too and learn there. UTI also has graduate programs that you can get into if your grades are good enough after you graduate. I got into the Porsche(PTAP) program and am glad I went as my starting salary at the dealer I worked for was $5/HR higher than someone who had not gone through the program. Unfortunately for you, UTI doesn't have a Mazda manufacturer hook-up though.

If you're interested in getting into automotive engineering, there is a university in MI that accepts UTI credits too.