"As far as going to UTI, I thought that it was a great way to get my foot in the door at a dealership. It's a career that's allowed me to have a family, and to move on my life in becoming an adult," says Dan Wehry, master technician at Mercedes-Benz of Burlington.

UTI graduates have many options after they complete their training. Though there are no guarantees, some graduates from highly specialized programs, like UTI’s Mercedes-Benz DRIVE program, may have the opportunity to work at luxury car dealerships. Dan Wehry, a 2008 UTI graduate, had the drive, and the discipline to complete Mercedes-Benz mechanic school where he developed the skills to help him become a master technician at Mercedes-Benz of Burlington, where he’s been for the last two years.

In addition to a core automotive program that focuses on a variety of domestic and foreign vehicles, UTI offers specialized manufacturer programs like Mercedes-Benz DRIVE. These specialized programs offer top students the opportunity to study and learn advanced skills specific to a certain manufacturer’s vehicles. Dan was one of those who excelled at UTI and he continues to excel today in his position of master tech.

The Mercedes-Benz DRIVE program at UTI is for high-achieving students who want to work on the legendary German-engineered automobiles. It’s a total of 16 weeks of hands-on intensive training that covers all of the major systems, including engine management, diagnostics and electrical. Mercedes-Benz DRIVE even incorporates career development, helping students understand typical career paths.  With 90% of the time spent in the lab, students get a chance to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world of working on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The coursework is all about preparing techs to diagnose the problems and to use the necessary tools in finding solutions.

The students in this program all share the same passion for these cars – it’s one of the main reasons that they chose this particular elective. This desire, combined with the determination to succeed, makes for a program that’s highly competitive. And for students who graduate from the program, like Dan, they carry these lessons forward into their careers. “First and foremost take advantage of UTI while you’re there. The teachers are there to help you. Learn everything you can and carry it with you as you search for a career,” says Dan.

Finding a career that you love is important to one’s well-being, and Dan is exactly where he wants to be. “I love what I do and I love working on cars. The people I work with are great. Being able to have a regular nine to five and being able to go home to my family afterward makes it worth everything.”