About the UTI Long Beach, CA Campus

Since opening its doors in 2015, Universal Technical Institute Long Beach has served the transportation and skilled trades industries in Southern California by providing quality education for thousands of aspiring technicians and welders.

In a short time, UTI Long Beach has made an incredible impact. The 142,600-square foot campus with 10 labs and 12 classrooms is home to passionate instructors, dedicated UTI staff and motivated students preparing for exciting careers in the transportation industry. ¹

UTI Long Beach is surrounded by dozens of dealerships and service centers, many of which hire UTI graduates. In addition to receiving the training they need, students at the Long Beach campus can benefit from UTI’s industry connections as they enter the workforce.

It’s a Win-Win

The education provided by UTI Long Beach, like other UTI campuses, is a win-win for both students and employers. Skilled technicians are in-demand nationwide, and UTI students are prime candidates for entry-level positions because of the training they receive.

The Long Beach campus has been extremely well received by the community, employer base and prospective students. Prior to opening the Long Beach campus, there was just one UTI campus in Southern California — Rancho Cucamonga. However, since building the Long Beach campus, UTI has been able to serve a new market by providing more opportunities for students and, in turn, meeting employer demand.

The quality of UTI’s curriculum is a strong selling point, which is a point of pride for Education Director Becky Hoskins.

“One of our instructors has the highest student completion rate of all of our campuses, and for the most difficult course, which is introduction to electrical,” she says. “That's a course that at times students struggle to learn and instructors can struggle to teach. It's a hard concept to grasp. In a short period of time, she has honed her teaching technique to considerably improve student outcomes in this course.”

Changing Lives

By far, the most meaningful impact that UTI Long Beach has made is helping to change the lives of students.

“Student success is the number one priority. We make sure that students have the tools and resources available to be successful in class and in their career,” Hoskins says. “Seeing the transformation from the students in the very first courses to when they graduate is amazing.”

For many students at UTI Long Beach, enrolling is a monumental shift not only in their career, but in their personal lives. Many of them are the first in their families to graduate from high school and enroll in postsecondary education.

Hoskins recalls one student in particular who struggled to leave his previous life behind, and it nearly cost him his dream of becoming a diesel technician. “He grew up in a tough neighborhood in Long Beach,” Hoskins says. “Something happened, and he wanted to take some time off. As soon as I said, ‘don't give up’ he started crying.

“We decided he would take some time off and come back,” Hoskins says. “The day he came back, he thanked me for taking the time to talk with him. UTI was part of his dream. He graduated three months ago and he’s working as a diesel technician. He is probably the greatest success story.”

Seeing students graduate is one of the best parts of the job for Hoskins and the other instructors at UTI Long Beach. The sacrifices students make and their spirit to succeed is inspiring and deeply humbling.

Opportunity Is Out There

Hoskins understands the positive effects that pursuing higher education can have in people’s lives. She encourages those with dreams of being successful with a career in the trades to explore the possibilities at UTI Long Beach.

Hoskins shares, “Traditional college is not for everyone. UTI provides the technical training for a great career. I recently met a UTI graduate from our Arizona campus. He graduated in 1984 from the diesel technology program. He is working in Long Beach in the harbor and making a solid living. That’s a great success story.”⁶

Opportunity is out there — for students who desire to pursue a career in the trades, UTI Long Beach is a great place to call home.

Interested in learning more about the programs offered at UTI Long Beach? Visit the UTI Long Beach campus page or give us a call at (562) 541-7000 to ask any questions you might have or to schedule a campus tour.