Dominik Glowacz Shares How UTI Helped Him Grow His Diesel Technician Career

Before Dominik Glowacz went to Universal Technical Institute (UTI) diesel technician school in Exton, Pennsylvania, he had never lived away from his home state of New Jersey. Being close with his family, it was understandably nerve-wracking for Dominik to consider leaving at first.

His parents had hesitation about him leaving, too. But as the family reunited at Dominik's UTI graduation in 2017, it was clear he made the right decision.

“Getting away from home was a little bit difficult,” says Dominik. “But, it definitely gave me life experience where I was all on my own, had to do my own thing and schedule everything for myself and not have it scheduled for me. It was definitely one of the best decisions I've ever made.”

Dominik lived at a friend's house and worked full-time while being in school full-time. The balance of juggling both was challenging, but Dominik said it was amazing to learn so many new things every day.

Today, Dominik is a field service technician at Crown Equipment Corporation in Oakland, New Jersey. He first met Crown employers at job fairs at UTI. From starting a conversation at a job fair to working for Crown full-time, Dominik says he loves the work he does every day.

“I get to go from customer to customer instead of the customer coming to us and having the work done in the shop,” Dominik says. “We actually get to speak with the customer, interact with the customer and make the customer happy, fix their trucks, do maintenance.”

The UTI Classroom Difference

At school, Dominik learned diesel engine skills like how to work with hydraulics and electrical components, as well as how to work with propane and gas. Dominik says he knew he chose the right path with UTI when he met all his instructors.

“All the instructors were very helpful whenever I needed a hand, and they were very hands-on,” Dominik says. “They helped me out a lot whenever I didn't understand something. They made sure I understood it and took their time, and they did the same things with all the other students. I have too many favorite instructors.”

Dominik says the knowledge of the instructors is what helps students succeed, with so much diverse experience in every classroom to pull from. Dominik says the instructors who stand out to him brought comedy and personality to learning, and made sure to be hands-on and take their time with each student.

No Regrets Taking the Technician Path

Moving away from home and family for the first time can be scary, sad or a whole combination of emotions. Dominik says the experience has been life-changing, bringing him to the fulfilling career path he is on today.

“Going to UTI is one of the best decisions I've made, and you won't regret it,” Dominik says. “Keep your head down, stay in the books, keep your hands on, make sure you're always raising your hand in class and asking questions if you have a question. There's no stupid questions.”

Dominik also encourages UTI students to focus on their own work and path to go far, and to not compare themselves to other students.

For parents who may be hesitant to say goodbye to their kids who are future UTI students, Dominik has the following insights, too.

“If I was talking to parent, I would say there's a lot of demand in this field,” Dominik says. “There's a lot to learn and a lot to soak in, and the teachers are great.”

Learn more about UTI's Diesel Technology Program.