My Wyotech experience... So far.

[5150DSM]

I've noticed that there are a few Wyotech threads on the site, though, not so many lately. I thought that I would share my experiences and thoughts and maybe if there is enough interest, open a blog about it.

To start, as most of you know, Wyotech is damn expensive. That being said, it seems to be worth it. The curriculum is fast paced and current and the instructors are highly knowledgeable, without being too arrogant. I am curretly attending the West Sacramento branch of the school so I can't compare other campuses but here, things seem to be very well put together.

We have extensive and very modern facilities; there are dedicated buildings for each of the disciplines. There are plenty of the proper tools and they are of high quality.(Snap-On) The whole vehicles and clip cars are not the raggedy pieces of shit that I saw at UTI, most of them run, or don't, on purpose.(for diagnostic testing) There does seem to be a bit of a shortage of test equipment and in some tools but that may be to keep us working in groups, as opposed to going it alone.

Overall, a lot of my fellow students suck. There are bunch of punk 18 year old kids who think they know everything.(which they don't) And a large majority are the typical neighborhood wannabes, gangsta's, thugs and such. There are a lot of people from different or rival hoods so the environment can be tense at times. But, if you are not involved , it just kind of passes over you. It does suck to have to work in groups with people who don't really care about the class and are just there to be doing something.(especially when you are forced into groups)

I can't speak as to the job placement as of yet. But, Career Services has been in to talk to us several times and they offer workshops for resume development and interviewing skills every week. The industry connections seem to be strong and right now, I am confident that I will get help to be placed when I graduate. I am up for the BMW step program if I can continue to excel in my classes, which would be a huge benefit if I can achieve it.

I have perfect attendance and a 100%(A+) in my classwork and shopwork right now, which places me at the top of my class currently. I think and feel that this is the key; as with anything, you get out what you put in. Show up on time, all the time and learn everything they offer, ask shitloads of questions and take every advantage you can and you will be successful. Fu(k off and ditch class, don't do your homework or classwork and just phone it in. Then the experience will suck and you won't learn anything and when it comes time to get a job, you will have nothing coming.

If anyone has any questions or comments, I will be happy to discuss them. Just post on this thread and we can get info for anyone who is interested. Thanks for the time.

Tony(5150DSM)

 

[jjrock5]

Im glad you are having a good experience. Keep it up.

 

[Benshooter]

How much are you paying for the entire program?

 

[crash89]

I actually enrolled in that school just a couple months ago but wont start until March. I really feel like I could work on cars until I die, but Im afraid that if going to school and getting a degree TO work on car would make me lose interest. Im not sure if you know what I mean, but its like I love to tinker with and fix cars as a hobby but if I had to as a job I dont know if Id start to not want to do it anymore. So as far as going to Wyotech, Id love to have the expierence but I dont think Im going to take the course. Ive heard a bunch of mixed reviews on the schools across the country but its good to hear a positive one on the one close to here..

Good luck with your school though!! :thumbs up:

 

[400hp93talon]

I had a friend that went to school there, came back and said he didnt know anything more than before he went....I've been working on cars since I was 16 and luckily have all the new toys and tools on hand(snap on) where I work. I have always assumed WYOTECH and UTI where for people that have no experience(or straight outta high school) with the automotive idustry. But there are alot of benefits I bet like being able to work directly through ford,chevy,toyota etc. because you have that on your resume......But I wouldn't spend the money knowing that I can exceed or equally accomplish what 90% of these grads can do.

 

[m0nk3estylez]

I'm planning on going to wyotech to but still deciding which branch Togo to Fremont or sac.
well good luck at your schooling!

 

[greenydsm]

Before i chose my school, i toured UTI and Wyotech.

I am a gear head. I LOVE working on cars. I love when one of my friends calls me in the middle of the night and says " something broke". But the thing that kept me from going to a auto school was the pay. How much are you honestly going to make? A grease monkey at a local tire shop is only going to pay 15$ per hour tops. ( atleast where i live). At a dealership its only a little bit better. The bigger dealships pay 17-20$. But you have to look at your options down the line. Do you want to be doing oil changes and rotating tires for the rest of your life? How can you grow at a dealership? Parts/service manager? You MIGHT make 23-25$ if your lucky. That to some people is alot of money. Some people will never make that an, but i want room to grow, the ability to make a lot of cash. Thats when i started to think, I need something with cars, but something that i can make outside money with. Thats why i chose my school (williamson) for machinist. I can make things for my car, The dsm community, or i can get a huge government contract and make money that way.


Thats at least the way i see it.

 

[PIMking]

when I sold cars at a Nissan dealership our master tech was over 100k a year....

 

[kottyking]

Yea master techs can pull in a butt load at the right dealership. But then again were comparing master techs to lube techs.. Honestly if your looking at going the mechanic route, go to a community college for CHEAP compared to UTI or WYOtech and go through the hoops putting in your hours at the shop. Its the cheapest way to go. Another thing people don't realize, to get into these programs you have to get picked. Some kids have perfect attendance and 100% and still don't get picked up for dealership programs. But yet when your're talking to the school representative, they keep telling you about their dealership programs over and over. It's a business for them too, remember that.

 

[whe3ls]

i was going to go to wyotech and do the diesel and havc tech course with chassis design. but family problems came up. the course would of run me close to 35k for 9 months and thats not including housing

 

[400hp93talon]

i was going to go to wyotech and do the diesel and havc tech course with chassis design. but family problems came up. the course would of run me close to 35k for 9 months and thats not including housing

Good god how can anyone afford that!!! Thats insane....well i guess there are student loans.

 

[5150DSM]

Back for a quick update.
I just finished my first phase, took the finals, etc... I finished at the top of my class with a 100% and perfect attendance, which works out well for me. Anyway, to answer some questions and chime in with an opinion or two...
I'm paying $23,500 to go to the school that includes all of the core classes and my elective (High performance power-trains) Expensive yes, but I think, worth it. I have been working on cars for the better part of 20 years and am a fairly good mechanic. What I am learning in school is how to be a technician, there is a distinction. This is definately not for everyone, if you come in straight out of high school with no demonstrable experience, you will be a lube tech or an entry level parts-changer when you finish. $12-16 an hour and mostly boring grunt work. It will take you years to build up to an experienced tech position, then again being that young you will have the years to put in. That is truth with nearly any industry, experience, knowledge and skill are the prime factors in determining pay and position.
For me, I have many years of existing experience and am basically updating my education. When I leave school it won't be as an entry-level anything. Also, I am looking to get into the motorsports divisions of manufacturers that support race teams. There is a higher income potential(not my primary motivation) and an oppotunity to do what I love... Build, repair and improve race cars.

 

[5150DSM]

I didn't continue this thread because there seemed to be a general lack of interest, which is fine. There are a lot of opinions, preconceptions and misconceptions about tech schools in general and Wyotech specifically. I have since graduated from the program and am working as a service writer/technician in a local shop that specializes in undercar work. I got the job on my own in April of '10 so I still can't comment on the job placement aspect of the school; however, I have been contacted several times about leads and interviews.
I ended up graduating at the top of not only my campus but of all Wyotech campuses and earned some distinctions and awards for my efforts. I was accepted into the NTHS (National Technical Honor Society) and also achieved the outstanding student award.
All in all, my experience was great, I would recommend Wyotech to anyone looking to expand their technical knowledge. The only real caveat is that this is primarily an industry school, the specialization classes are very general and do not prepare one to enter a private "race shop" or "fabrication shop". There is a lot to be said for the education but maybe not so much for those looking to be involved in racing, fabrication, specialized tuning, etc...

 

[GsXdSmKingGsX]

Well I have my GI bill to use sooooooooooo.. Would you use your free college on this if you had it?

 

[rollover-tsi]

i used my G.I. bill for wyotech. no regrets. just job market sux for techs right now. but freelancing pays the bills

 

[DSM_munky_man]

This response may sound a little biased due to the fact I am attending UTI, but this is how i chose between WyTech and UTI

As I come from WY anyway, most people ask me why I didnt go to WyTech instead. Well the first initial choice was easy. Price. Looking at both schools this pans out very nicely for comparison. Both schools cost alot yes, but for the same price at Tech you can get far more education at UTI for the same. As for example, the gentleman Saying he wanted to do diesel, hvac and chassis costing him 35g's, he could have easily taken Auto, Deisel, Industrail for the same price, which he will get degrees in both auto and diesel, be certified in both A/C (yes i know you get to do this w/o schooling, but they help you here and the price for the test is cheaper), and have business too. Now the only downfall in his case is no chassis work avaliable at any campus except the NTI. Or he coulda done the diesel industrial courses for far less than 35k. I am taking Auto, diesel, industrial w/ fact for 40k. the auto here also includes high performance, which at Tech it doesnt, you have to have that as an elective. With tech you get to choose your base nine months, 6 months of core (auto or diesel) then 3 months for an elective (advanced auto for the auto core, advanced diesel for the diesel core, basic auto or diesel if you took the opposite for a core, chassis, business, high performance). Now if you wanted to take multiple electives add 3-5k per class plus another 3 months. I am pretty sure basic costs you around 30k.

Now at UTI, when you choose either diesel, auto or both, it comes with basic, advanced, drivetrains of both, high performance for auto, and with the auto you get the business classes. industrial gets you to hydraulics and transport reefer, plus when you are done (at the Avondale compus) You come out with associates degrees. sure it may take a little longer to get through (my course is 18 months) but it is well worth it and around the same price for more education. The basic with jsut auto or diesel I think start around 25k, mayber more or less, havent checked for both of those and industrial it is around 30-35k and for an addition of a manufacterer specific, it will be around 40k (what I pay).

And Josh, for the GI bill, it works great down here. I would say around 75% or so here in Avondale are all milatary or ex. But the catch is, it can only be used at the Avondale campus, due to it being the only school in the branch so far to have the associates. (and plus you would probably come here just to room with Jordan anyway!! haha)

So there is my take on both schools. Toured both and they had equally nice training aids, maybe its just a Sac thing, but the Avondale Campus is stunning. Everything up to date, Snap on tools as well, with all the new electrical epuipment such as scan tools, 5gas analyzers, smoke machines Starter and alternator testers and w/e else.

Also, I am open to questions/commetns, not to jack his thread, but it can be taken to PM's if needed. Just giving my take too.

 

[98dsmkid]

I went to the Wyotech in fremont....a bit pricey for the courses but I got hooked up with a job within 4months after graduating so it paid off....good school....teachers are funny and have tons of experience.....Im sure that sac campus is a whole lot better then fremonts but not much difference just more courses you can take and better equipment to use......personal experience....since I worked on cars and rebuilt many different makes and transmissions before I went.... I didnt learn as much as I wanted to....I came in knowing a lot of pretty much everything they were teaching except for some smog and diagnostic steps....very easy school as long as you pay attention and not goof around, every things easy....easy tests as they are always multiple choice....

I am now ASE certified in engine repair, diagnostics, auto/manuel trans, steering & suspentions, brakes, and I have my certificates in A6, A8 and L1. I just need to take that air cleaner course and then on to smog

all in all good school!!!! MAKE SURE YOU PAY ATTENTION...ITS VERY EASY TO GET SIDE TRACK OVER THERE.... AND IF YOU ARN'T A SMOKER NOW....YOU PROB WILL BE AFTER U GRADUATE.... Good luck

btw school costed me $23g took courses AT1 & AT2 Graduated in 2005