Next Start

June 23

MEET OUR EMPLOYERS

John Perez Looks to Hire the Technicians of Tomorrow

"All of the UTI campuses have been an important pipeline for all of our dealerships in all of our markets in finding talented technicians."

As part of the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) family of schools, NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI) began operating under the UTI brand in April 2025.

At Sonic Automotive, John Perez is in charge of looking for and expanding the company’s reach in hiring new employees. His focus is on finding technicians for the many positions that need to be filled at their 107 different locations across 13 different states.

When John meets with students, his first question for them is why they want to be a technician. There are the hard skills that any good tech needs, but what’s also important is talent, which goes a bit deeper than knowing everything by the book. John looks for this, which he sees as their potential to be dedicated to and inspired by their jobs every day.

“If I see them light up, I know that’s someone that I want to talk to further. We can teach them everything else. It’s the more intangible things like being a good teammate, understanding their importance in the dealership and most importantly, having a passion for what they do.”

When he first started in this position two-and-a-half years ago, the relationship with campuses such as UTI were just in their beginning stages. After his first round of hiring students he knew he needed to help facilitate growing these bonds between Sonic Automotive and the tech schools. He realized to find the right talent for their growing tech needs he needed to find them early on, while they were still students.1He needed to go straight to the source.

“We started showing up at UTI job fairs, but I knew that we needed to be more than just a booth at a career fair. I wanted to interact with students, so we started doing open houses. We did mock interviews with students to give them the experience, and we went to as many campuses as we could.”1

To further reach out to students, Sonic started an apprenticeship program at its Texas locations. They offered this exclusively to UTI graduates of the Manufacturer Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) programs to try and attract those students who had taken the initiative to excel in their studies. Out of that program they’ve hired 78 new employees from Universal Technical Institute. Now they’re ready to extend this apprenticeship program to the rest of the Sonic Automotive locations.

They have a number of sources for new employees, with Universal Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina also being a great source of new employees.

“All of the UTI campuses have been an important pipeline for all of our dealerships in all of our markets in finding talented technicians. This grows more important every year.”

For those students who don’t know where to begin in a job search, John thinks they need to start early, months before they graduate. They need to know what they want in their future career and what they want out of who they work for.

“Go to job fairs. Start talking to companies like Sonic Automotive six or seven months before you’re done. Start getting an idea of what it is you want in a company. Learn their cultures. You’re interviewing them in the same way they’re interviewing you.”

John sees a demand for more techs as their business continues to grow. He’s interviewed many potential candidates to work at Sonic Automotive. He looks to those graduates with the drive and those who realize that the road to success isn’t only about what you know – but how much you love the career you’ve chosen. For him enthusiasm goes a long way and it’s not anything that can be learned, but is a part of who you are and what you can be.


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1) UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary.2) For program outcome information and other disclosures, visit www.uti.edu/disclosures.6) UTI graduates’ achievements may vary. Individual circumstances and wages depend on personal credentials and economic factors. Work experience, industry certifications, the location of the employer and their compensation programs affect wages. UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary.7) Some programs may require longer than one year to complete.8) Does not include time required to complete a qualifying prerequisite program such as UTI’s 51-week Automotive Technology program.9) Does not include time required to complete a qualifying prerequisite program such as UTI’s 45-week Diesel Technology program.10) Financial aid, scholarships and grants are available to those who qualify. Awards vary due to specific conditions, criteria and state.11) See program details for eligibility requirements and conditions that may apply.15) Manufacturer-paid advanced training programs are conducted by UTI on behalf of manufacturers who determine acceptance criteria and conditions. These programs are not part of UTI’s accreditation. Programs available at select locations.24) UTI prepares graduates to work as entry-level automotive service technicians. Some graduates who take NASCAR-specific electives also may have job opportunities in racing-related industries. UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary.63) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Wind Turbine Technicians, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/wind-turbine-technicians.htm. BLS projects total employment will increase from 11,400 in 2023 to 18,200 in 2033. UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary. For program outcome information and other disclosures, visit www.uti.edu/disclosures.77) UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary. UTI prepares graduates for entry-level careers using the provided training. UTI graduates’ achievements may vary. Some UTI graduates get jobs within their field of study in positions other than those listed.79) UTI aviation maintenance programs prepare graduates to apply and test for FAA mechanic certification. Graduates who don’t obtain certification may have fewer career opportunities. Some graduates get jobs in aviation or related industries other than as aviation maintenance technicians. UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment, salary or FAA certification.128) UTI will pay for certain third-party FAA certification exam fees for qualifying students. See catalog for details and requirements.

Universal Technical Institute of Illinois, Inc. is approved by the Division of Private Business and Vocational Schools of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

*Registration Fee Waiver will apply to any student who enrolls by July 31, 2025, with a start date between March 31, 2025, and September 25, 2025.

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