wyotech the good the bad the ugly?

[tcb42]

Have any of you guys had any experience with Wyotech. After 11 years as a heavy equipment operator I'm looking for a change. The construction industry as everybody knows is still in the toilet and I don't feel like waiting for it to turn around. I spoke with a recruiter the other day and almost pulled the trigger until I came across dozens and dozens of pissed off current and former students ranting about the bad experience that is Wyotech. Now I'm not a total idiot (my wife will argue that at times) and consider myself to be fairly mechanically inclined and didn't feel I was starting from the bottom education wise and thought the name Wyotech on a resume would look good. I hear their reputation is not what it once was. What do you guys think, feel, or otherwise? Any experience working with grads, hiring grads etc? Thanks.

 

[needabronco]

From what I know and hear, they used to be great, now you'll likely get more from you community college body shop school. I've talked to a couple of body shop managers who have had bad hires from those schools, they know their 'stuff' but seriously lack the actual 'know how'.

I've been seriously thinking of going to a body shop school myself. Yes Wyotech sounds tempting, but I'm not sold myself.

 

[BanditBronco]

As a current Wyotech student I understand your views tcb and yours as well Casey. To start with, the outside reps do their job very well and are very convincing but even if they tell you they are not paid on commission they are. They actually dont work for Wyotech at all... they are an outside entity that Wyotech pays to be outside reps. Wyotech is owned by Everest a huge corporate company that bases everything on numbers. In other words there is a lot of B.S. to get through in the way they do things. I am enrolled at the Sacramento campus with my home being Mesa, Az and truthfully do not regret going to Wyotech what so ever. Like any school basically you get out what you put into it. I have 100% attendance or Zero tardies or absences am an Eagle Tech which is a "club" of the best students on campus that have to maintain above a 90% GPA and have less then 4 hours of absence each phase (6 weeks).
I am not a collision student I am an automotive student but know many of the collision students and have worked side by side with them, mostly fellow Eagle Techs and they tend to know their stuff. I am not completely body work illiterate as I have done some myself so I could tell if they know what they are talking about or not.
I understand how most people think Wyotech's reputation has turned bad, because for most people it is probably true. Because of the volume of students going through the school (usually class sizes are between 50 and 60) yeah even though they tell you 20-30 tops... thats untrue. There are two instructors for each class and it tends to be to many students and its hard to get any time with an instructor. Usually the collision side has way less students though and one on one time is increased. It is hard to keep success levels high when you have ten idiots to one good student that leaves the school and gets a job.
So if you think you can deal with all the little things that make you made and work through all of the bad and find some good Wyotech can take you places. Tomorrow i have my first interview with an employer from Phoenix that is flying all the way up here to interview only four students, but specifically learn more about myself as i am his tour guide and main interviewee as requested by himself.
In the end I encourage anyone to try Wyotech or any other specialty school that they are interested in and give it their all and the opportunities will come.

Wish me Luck! and good luck to you tcb with whatever you decide to do.

Riley Klingaman

 

[oldskool]

I think it also depends on which campus you go to. Laramie is the main campus, real nice location; I lived there for a while. Each course is 6 months long if I remember correct. It gets real cold in the winter, that's why they now have campus in California and Florida. Just like anything in live, if you give it 100% time and effort you will get 100% back. Like a lot of students that go to school there they are immature, first time away from home and its party, party, party believe me there are a lot of bars in Laramie. Plus during school time there are 50 thousand students at the University

 

[13below0]

Go to pirate and search. There has been alot of talk over there, and a few employers chimed in. I say save your money. I can't believe being a operator is not making you a good living. Maybe you should think of moving and not going back to school.

 

[Dano 407]

The full price tag for UTI or Wyotech is north of $30k.

I have sent many students to these schools with mixed results. The good students tend to do well, and the others learn a very expensive lesson. The most recent graduate that I recall is now working for a Peterbilt dealer nearby, so there is opportunity. I think these jobs around here start at about $11 an hour. I have former students who have made (not in this economy, mind you) over $75k in the heavy equipment field.

How long do you have to work at that $11 rate to pay off the $30k? A local college program may take you a bit longer, but you could land the same job for under half the investment.

Do your homework before you write the check.

 

[KDW66]

Definately shop around and see what works best for you. My son looked at UTI and Wyotech. He chose UTI in Houston and did one course in Phoenix. Worked out well for him. He took diesel and the Volvo specific course as well. The school hooked him up after graduation and he scored a job at a Volvo dealer.

 

[HGM]

I'm with Dano.. I teach guys who have come from these programs. They are typicaly very book smart and can recite you every detail/spec from every related magazine on the subject they studdied, but struggle with practical knowledge. In my opinion, they are decent programs, at $5k.. However, the $30k price tag is absoloutely ludacris... The "techs" are sold this pretty picture of 6 figure incomes in the automotive world, working at the dealer and being able to pay that school loan back quickly. While this was actually a possibility at one time, the products have gotten dramaticly better over the years and the compettition is so intense between manufacturers that most dealer techs are standing around with their hands in their pockets.. Even IF you were to go through the program and land a dream job, you will NOT make that 6 figure income imediatly, if at all. The problem tends to be that the schools tend to program the students to believe that they are also teaching experience with their hands on. The fact is that they teach fundamental practice of certain activities. These activities dont include curent concerns, broken bolts, stripped threads, customer add on's, "special tool" useage, parts departments, etc, etc, etc... Many of the stories I end up hearing are pissed off graduates that have learned the hard way that the 6 figure income ended up being wildly exadurated and lack of respect from the techs around them due to their lack of experience. Many of the grads dont like to hear that they dont know what they are doing. They are smart and understand the "theory" but need help with the "doing". This sometimes ends up coming across as arrogant. Then I also hear from many managers that regret the decision to hire a "ready made" tech from these schools...

Hate to slam it, there's a fair amount of good that come out of these programs, but much of it comes from a good attitude, level head and realistic expectations.. You will NOT be a ready made master tech with graduation of a $30k program. You'll have a very good foundation to grow into a good tech. It will take years to get there..

My recomendation would be to stick in the equipment operator field, if you dont hate it.. If you want something else, and automotive is your desire, take a look at the Ford ASSET program. I'm sure other mfg's offer similar, but with the Ford program, you'll have 2yrs of training, in class and in a sponsoring dealer, working in the real world with real techs on curent products and problems. You'll graduate with a 2yr Asociate's degree in Automotive Science from the local colege and most of the reqired Ford specific certifications to work in their dealers. All of this for about $10k... A bit of useless trivia from ASE.. Ford trained techs score higher on ASE testing than any other manufacturer, due to their training programs. Cant say that all Ford techs are the best, but the training is superior to most.. With anything else, it is what you put in and get out of it..

 

[chadomatic]

I opted not to go to wyotech instead went to a local community college with a good reputation. It was a great education and very affordable. I doubt I spent 10k on school and that includes housing. I went through the Ford asset program. It really liked it. The nice thing is you go to school 3 months then work 3 months. I made enough on my off months to pay my tuition.

 

[gritz]

We hired a wyo tech kid to paint at a manufacturing company. He couldnt even clean the paint system let alone paint. I an talking industrial paint not rocket science. We have had way better luck hiring a local votech grad. Good luck with you decision

 

[KyleQ]

Don't waste your money or time - the name has been tainted. My brother graduated and thy couldn't place him at a job and his last job was 3rd shift and paid less then $15 an hour.

 

[mortimersnerd]

You may also want to look at other similar jobs. My brother in law is an airframe and powerplant tech (airplane mechanic) and makes just shy of $20/hour. He was able to go to a program at the local community college and came out with his FAA certification. There is more to know and the liability is higher, but the money is better as well.

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

Since you're in SoCal, check out Cerritos College's auto technology program. They have a good working relationship with local dealers and shops and do lots of job placement.

 

[TTTGOWYO]

I think the Laramie campus is nice. They have invested a lot into expanding and better buildings. By the way, there is not 50k students at University of Wyoming, maybe 15k at best. Although it is a HUGE party place with 30 bars, so you need discipline. I graduated from UW but had several freinds at WyoTech, mostly because of my Bronco. Good Luck.

 

[Sbolt19]

Wyotech is owned by Everest a huge corporate company that bases everything on numbers.

This is a key statement in everything. My sister works for Everest and is currently looking for a new job. Everest is 200% about how much money they can bilk out of their students, they are doing illegal things in their admin offices all across the country & they are only concerned with their profit line. When My sister told the president of her location about the problems & ramifications it could have, he told her to be quite and don't rock the boat. In short, I wouldn't go to the school if it is associated with Everest College. Like has been said, go to a good community college and the education you get there can be just as good at a fraction of the cost.

 

[badmuttstang]

when these school first came out they where great because they where not owned by big company's know UTI and Wyotech have sold out because of the economy and having a certificate from one of these places means next to nothing as stated go though a good community college program your money will be better spent and most have certificate programs so if you don't want a actual degree you cant be in and out of school in about 9 months and for about 10,000 dollars if you do want a certificate in automotive some community colleges do offer courses in hot rod building or custom work the hotrodinstitue.com is still a small school but from what I have heard a degree from here still means something so you might want to check them out I was looking at them before deciding to go to PCC just a better fit for me

 

[badmuttstang]

oh and yes definitely don't go to anything owned by everest my sister in-law went there and after half the program was over they raised her tuition cost by almost double and now that shes out of the program they don't want anything to do with her and they where supposed to help her get a job and most places don't honer her certificate so she cant even get a job in that field

 

[needabronco]

You could walk into a busy body shop and get hired to be a 'helper' for $11 an hour! Why go to school to make that?

 

[tcb42]

Go to pirate and search. There has been alot of talk over there, and a few employers chimed in. I say save your money. I can't believe being a operator is not making you a good living. Maybe you should think of moving and not going back to school.

Well operators pay on paper looks good and I'm union but its not working out right now. When you're on an out of work list at the hall with a 1000 other guys and the industry is slow you're going to be on that list a while. Plus moving isn't an option right now either. Thanks.

 

[bknbronco]

You could walk into a busy body shop and get hired to be a 'helper' for $11 an hour! Why go to school to make that?

I agree....why not just learn as you go. Im not a fan of spending money to learn something. I have always learned for free, and learn more for free than anybody i know that went to school. And who says that painting is gona be your bread winner. Body shops around here are only busy in the winter months. They beg for work in the summer.