From Lost to Career-Driven: How Garden Grove Student Found His Lane at UEI College
Ever since he was a kid, Gabriel Casiano has been infatuated with automobiles. In fact, he recalls that he watched the Disney movie Cars so many times that the DVD menu images burned into the screen of his family’s TV.
“I was just really into Lightning McQueen, and then I moved into other movies like The Fast and the Furious,” he said. “I would go around the neighborhood and watch people work on their cars, and I always imagined myself pulling the wheels off cars [like in a pitstop]—one, two, three.”
But loving cars and turning that love into a career aren’t the same things, and for a while, Gabriel wasn’t sure how to make the jump. He tried a traditional college path, but the long lectures and sitting still didn’t fit how he learns.
“I was just lost,” he said. “I’d be in class thinking, ‘This isn’t me.’ So, I stopped going.”
That’s when he came across an Instagram post about UEI College, and it changed how he saw his potential for earning a career as a mechanic. After visiting the Garden Grove campus and seeing how classes were driven by hands-on training, he registered to be an Automotive Technician student at UEI.
Finding the Right Fit at UEI
Gabriel said that any lingering anxiety he felt based on his experiences in other classrooms was quickly relieved when he first toured UEI’s Garden Grove campus.
“I thought it was going to be like a regular class where you just sit down and listen,” he said. “But when I took the tour, they showed me that it’s hands-on. That’s when I realized this was different.”
For Gabriel, the program’s structure was exactly what he needed. Instead of being confined to a desk, he was encouraged to learn by doing — by taking apart, testing, and troubleshooting real vehicles in a shop-like environment.
“Here, I get to be behind the screen and get my hands dirty,” he said. “It’s not restrictive. It’s the best of both worlds.”
One of the biggest surprises for Gabriel has been his connection with the instructors. In the past, he said, he didn’t always click with teachers. At UEI, however, it feels different.
“The instructors don’t make it feel like class. It feels like being in a real shop,” he said. “Mr. Cruz, for example, teaches in a way that works for me. He lets us explore like little kids, but he’s there to guide us when we need it. That balance makes all the difference.”
That teaching style has kept Gabriel motivated and excited about coming to class every day.
“It doesn’t feel like something I have to do,” he said. “It’s something I want to do.”
“From the first day Gabriel walked into the shop, I could see how passionate he was about cars,” said Mr. Cruz, Automotive Instructor at UEI Garden Grove. “What stood out most was his eagerness to learn by doing. He doesn’t just follow instructions—he asks questions, digs deeper, and applies what he learns right away. Watching him grow in confidence and skill has been inspiring, and I have no doubt he’s going to succeed in this industry.”
Interested In Our Automotive Technician Program? CLICK HERE >
Building Confidence in Automotive
Growing up, Gabriel had picked up automotive skills here and there, helping at shops and working on cars in his neighborhood. But he never thought those skills could lead to a professional career.
“I didn’t think someone like me, with my background, could ever work at a dealership,” he said. “I figured I’d just help people out on the side and do it cheaper.”
That perspective shifted once he started at UEI. He said the Automotive Technician program, as well as the help he’s received from the Career Services department, has given him the confidence he needs to excel in a career.
“They made me feel like my past doesn’t hold me back,” he said. “They showed me that I do belong in the automotive industry.”
Recently, Gabriel landed a job that fits perfectly with his class schedule — a job he’ll work at in the evenings and nights until he graduates. At that point, his goals are set much higher than doing basic oil and filter changes.
“I’d like to work at a dealership or maybe become an independent mobile mechanic,” he said. “Working as a mobile mechanic means I could choose my own hours and be my own boss. UEI gave me the outer shell I needed — the confidence boost — to make that possible.”
Gabriel encourages anyone who feels unsure about their next step to take a closer look at UEI.
“If you’re kind of lost but you know you want to do something hands-on — something like automotive, HVAC, or healthcare — I’d say give UEI a shot,” he said. “You’ll likely find what you want to do.”
Gabriel said his story is proof that great things can happen.
“Choosing UEI is one of the best decisions I’ve made,” Gabriel said. “It showed me my potential and gave me the tools to go after a career I care about.”
