WyoTech, an automotive, diesel, and collision trade school, hosted its largest career fair since the change of ownership in 2018. With the event taking place on Feb. 15 and 16, there were 96 companies in attendance, conducting a total of 907 interviews.
“It’s no secret trades of any kind are in high demand,” says Ashley Chitwood, vice president of marketing for WyoTech. “Seeing hundreds of people from nearly 100 companies across the United States come to Laramie, Wyoming, to hire WyoTech students is a testament to our vision of offering the best experience, the best training and the best outcomes in the industry. There is no better sense of accomplishment for the team at WyoTech than seeing our graduates get hired by these great organizations after as little as nine months of training.”
The career fair, which occurs quarterly, was a valuable opportunity for WyoTech’s students to showcase their skills and connect with potential employers. The school’s nine-month training program emphasizes hands-on training that focuses on technical skills and the development of a well-rounded workforce with soft skills, reliability, and integrity.
Among the companies present at the event was JX Peterbilt, whose talent acquisition lead, Nick Stafford, remarked, “Every time I come out to Laramie and WyoTech, I always feel like I’m the only company that they work with to hire their students. It’s just this magical feeling when I’m out here. They focus all their attention on what they can do to help get their students employed in our dealerships.”
“When we look for technicians, we turn to WyoTech to help with our demand,” says Greg Klever, manager for technical Schools and National Partnerships. “Penske was able to conduct 103 interviews in a single day during WyoTech’s largest career fair to date. As the largest non-government fleet in North America with over 415,000 vehicles and 1,000 locations, it’s no secret that Penske needs technicians to keep our vehicles on the road and customers moving. Penske’s collaboration with WyoTech is the best in the business and is only getting stronger. It’s partnerships such as this, between education and organization, that allow us to better each other in an industry that never sleeps.”
WyoTech’s recent growth is impacting the industry as it is providing an expanded pool of experienced and talented workforce to support an industry in need of employees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that over 28,000 openings for diesel service technicians and mechanics will surface annually for the next 10 years.
For more information about WyoTech, please visit their website at www.wyotech.edu.