Jason Simental's Unfiltered Guide to UTI's Automotive Program

Turning passion into training for a career you want isn’t always done. It’s easier to get caught up in a job that pays the bills.

But for one instructor here at UTI, that just wasn’t the end game for him. Jason Simental is an Automotive Technology instructor at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) with stories, wisdom and a whole lot of passion for cars.¹

Born to Wrench: Jason's Automotive Roots

Imagine growing up with a dad who’s an auto tech wizard with his own shop. For Jason, it was like having your own personal Lego set, just with more grease and fewer missing pieces. But unlike that complex Lego set you probably never finished, Jason's car projects always came together.

"My father was an auto technician, had his own shop,” recalls Jason. “It's like getting a box of Legos and trying to put it together without directions. It's not going to end up well, right? Same thing with automotive."

What You'll Learn: Tires, Brakes and Suspension

If you’re thinking of automotive technician training, Jason’s here to give you the lowdown on what you'll actually learn. Spoiler alert: It's more than just changing oil.

"You're going to learn how to change tires, take them off rim, remount them, balance them,” he explains. “You're going to learn how to change suspension components, diagnose suspension steering issues and be able to do a brake job."

Once you’ve gone through more introductory courses, that’s when the more advanced courses come in, giving you an exciting challenge through graduation day, as Jason tells us.

Hands-On Learning: Get Ready to Get Greasy

Instead of constant lectures, UTI classes are also about rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty. Jason makes sure his students are prepped for the real world, one part at a time.

"Once you come into class, we make our transition down here to lab, and that's where we get the hands on," he says.¹⁸

And just like life, learning about cars is a never-ending journey. You don’t just stop once you graduate.

"Once you get out in the field, you're going to continue learning ... until you're done with the profession," Jason advises.

Real Talk: From Nursery to Auto Shop

Jason loves sharing stories that prove anyone can dive into the automotive world. Take the guy he met at a nursery, for example. This guy was green, didn't know a crankshaft from a camshaft but was eager to learn.

"He saw my uniform. He was like, I like cars, but I don't know anything about them, and I don't want to go to a four-year school,” Jason shares. “He asked, ‘Is this something I can do?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely.’"

Even if your car knowledge is limited to filling up the tank, UTI starts you from the beginning and helps you become a trained technician.

"If you're willing to sit there and listen and absorb and learn, it's totally something that you can do," Jason shares.

Ready to Shift Gears?

Jason Simental's journey from a kid in his dad's shop to an instructor at UTI is a testament to the power of passion and education. If you're ready to trade in your book bag for a tool chest, UTI is the place to be. To learn more about our automotive training, head to our Programs page.