MIAT Lady Mustangs All-Female Team Earns 1st
Place Overall in Competing with Professionalism Category;
MIAT Mustangs Team 1 Earned 2nd Place in the
School Category
HOUSTON, June 20,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation students from the
Houston campus of MIAT College of
Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Technical Institute, Inc., recently took
top honors at the annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC).
Presented by Snap-on in Atlanta,
Ga., this national event was held from April 18 through April 20. The MIAT Mustangs Team
1 and MIAT Lady Mustangs were sponsored by United Airlines,
Houston's hometown airline.
"We are committed to nurturing the future generation of aviation
professionals. These competitions give our aircraft maintenance
mechanics an opportunity to showcase their problem solving,
communication and teamwork skills, all of which are critical in the
field. At United, we are committed to creating a workplace that is
as diverse as the communities and customers we serve," commented
Jason Rodger, United aircraft maintenance supervisor and
United Airlines Team Houston coach.
Eighty-four teams from around the world participated in the
competition which is held in conjunction with Aviation Week
Network's MRO Americas at the Georgia World Congress Center. This
flagship event of the Aerospace Maintenance Council recognizes and
celebrates aviation maintenance professionals and raises awareness
of the knowledge and skills required to maintain safe, airworthy
aircraft. This event also provides an opportunity for professionals
and students in the aerospace maintenance sector to compete in a
series of timed events highlighting various tasks found in the
field.
The MIAT Mustangs and Lady Mustangs teams, which are comprised
of five students and one alternate, are currently enrolled in the
school's Part 147 FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) programs.
All of the MIAT Houston competitors earned $1,000 each in cash prizes, Snap-On tools valued
at $5,000, Sonic Tool backpacks
valued at $3,300, scholarships and
many other awards. The total cash value of all prizes awarded to
MIAT team members amounted to $20,000.
"Our MIAT College of Technology Houston aviation maintenance
students have once again proven their excellence by winning several
events at the 2023 Aerospace Maintenance Competition. We are
incredibly proud of our students' hard work and dedication. These
awards are a great reflection of the quality of instruction that
these students receive at MIAT College of Technology. Our
Mustangs also won two cable rigging tools valued at $4,000 that they donated to two other schools who
participated in the competition," commented Michael Riccardelli, MIAT College of Technology
aviation instructor, skills team head coach, and mentor.
Riccardelli coached the award-winning MIAT Mustangs and Lady
Mustangs.
"It is especially inspiring to see an all-female team succeed in
such a male-dominated industry. This achievement not only showcases
the talent and skills of our students, but also highlights the
importance of diversity and inclusion in the aviation field," added
Riccardelli.
Sulia Guajardo, MIAT College of
Technology aviation student and Lady Mustangs team member,
commented: "I feel incredibly honored to be a part of the first
all-female team from MIAT College of Technology to participate and
win at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. Being a woman in the
skilled trades industry can be challenging. I'm so proud to show
that we can do. It's important for more women to enter the field,
and I hope to inspire others to pursue their passion for
aviation."
The MIAT Mustangs team members include Garrett Nasrallah, team captain; Brian Vega; Dakota
Rives; Robert Stoll;
Charles Bolin; and Liam Henry, alternate. The MIAT Lady Mustangs
team members include Janille
Hargreaves, team captain; Sulia Guajardo; Patine Mundo;
Winona Manalo; Kaylon Membreno; and Dayna Collins, alternate
The MIAT Mustangs coaching staff includes: Michael Riccardelli, head coach; Randy Hand, assistant coach; and Mary Short, assistant coach (Lady Mustangs).
Summary of Results
MIAT Mustangs Team 1 – 2nd place overall
schools, 1st place United Airlines Fuel Tank Entry
Precautions, 1st place National Business Aviation
Association and Standard Aero Engine Fan Blade Removal,
1st place Barfield Fault Test,
2nd place United Airlines Cable Rigging,
2nd place FedEx Express Safety Wiring,
3rd place Perfect Point E-Drill Fastener Removal,
3rd place Barfield Air Data Test, 3rd
place Airforce Flex Fluid Line.
MIAT Lady Mustangs Team – 1st place
overall Competing with Professionalism, 1st place
United Airlines Cable Rigging, 2nd place United
Airlines Fuel Tank Entry Precautions, 3rd place 8Tree
and Alaska Airlines Airframe Damage Inspection
UTI's Airframe and Powerplant Training and Aviation Maintenance
Technology programs are currently offered at its MIAT-Houston and
MIAT-Canton campuses. Pending FAA approvals, UTI's Airframe and
Powerplant Training programs will be offered at UTI-Avondale,
UTI-Long Beach, and UTI-Miramar. For more information about UTI,
please visit uti.edu.
About Universal Technical
Institute, Inc.:
Universal
Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) (the "Company") was
founded in 1965 and is a leading workforce solutions provider of
transportation, skilled trades and healthcare education programs,
whose mission is to serve students, partners, and communities by
providing quality education and support services for in-demand
careers across a number of highly skilled fields. The Company is
comprised of two divisions: Universal
Technical Institute ("UTI") and Concorde Career Colleges
("Concorde"). UTI operates 16 campuses located in 9 states and
offers a wide range of transportation and skilled trades technical
training programs under brands such as UTI, MIAT College of
Technology, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics
Institute and NASCAR Technical Institute. Concorde operates across
17 campuses in 8 states, offering programs in the Allied Health,
Dental, Nursing, Patient Care and Diagnostic fields. For more
information, visit www.uti.edu or www.concorde.edu, or visit us on
LinkedIn at @UniversalTechnicalInstitute and @Concorde Career
Colleges or on Twitter @news_UTI or @ConcordeCareer.
About United:
At United, Good Leads The Way.
With U.S. hubs in Chicago,
Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most
comprehensive global route network among North American carriers
and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by
available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team,
please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the
company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the
parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq
under the symbol "UAL.
Media Contacts:
Laura Pennino
lp@penninoandpartners.com
713-419-1776 (M), 281-286-9398 (O)
MaKlay Simon
maklay@penninoandpartners.com
325-262-1862 (M)
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SOURCE Universal Technical
Institute, Inc.