Shifting Gears: UEI Bakersfield Grad Driven Toward Automotive Career

When Andrew Galitz lost his job, he was left wondering what his next move in life would be.

For three years, he had been working as a house manager at a substance abuse rehabilitation center in Bakersfield, making sure clients followed the rules, distributing medications, supervising day-to-day operations, and providing transportation. But when new ownership came in and downsizing followed, Andrew suddenly found himself without a position.

“It was tough,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘Where do I go from here? What’s my next move?’”

For Andrew, that question turned into an opportunity. He had always loved cars and had even done side jobs in automotive work over the years. The layoff gave him the chance to finally pursue a career he’d been thinking about for a long time.

“I’d always wanted to go back to school to be a mechanic, but I never had the opportunity or the time,” Andrew said. “When I got laid off, I thought, what’s better than now?”

Today, Andrew is proud to call himself a graduate of UEI College’s Bakersfield campus, where he completed the Automotive Technician program. By turning a difficult setback into motivation, he built the skills and confidence to pursue a career in an industry he has always loved.

UEI Offers Marketable Skills and Support

Following his layoff, Andrew began looking into his options and came across UEI College’s Automotive Technician program at the Bakersfield campus. The location was close to home, and the enrollment process was simple and straightforward.

“Honestly, I felt like I didn’t choose UEI. UEI chose me,” Andrew said. “After requesting more information through the website, I prayed on it, slept on it, and concluded that this is what I wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to go to college and have a trade under my belt. Right now was the perfect time, because I’m a single man with nothing holding me back.”

Convenience was part of the decision, but more than that, UEI represented a chance to build a career instead of bouncing from job to job.

“I didn’t want to just get another job,” he said. “I wanted to learn a trade and have an actual career that I could rely on throughout my life.”

At UEI Bakersfield, Andrew quickly found himself surrounded by encouragement. His instructor, Wayne Provencio, stood out as a mentor who made sure Andrew understood the material and could apply it in real-world scenarios.

“My instructor really helped me a lot,” Andrew said. “If I had a question, he answered it right away. He was really knowledgeable, and he’d work with me individually to make sure I understood what I was doing.”

The program gave Andrew hands-on training, but it also helped him beyond the classroom.

“They gave me the training and tools I needed for the workforce,” Andrew said. “They even helped me improve my resume and pointed me toward job opportunities that fit my strengths.”

Building a Future in Automotive

Even before graduation, Andrew’s hard work began paying off. During the final months of his program, he was able to secure another job in the rehabilitation field while also earning money in his new-found career.

“Growing up, I was always infatuated with cars,” he said. “I’ve been doing side jobs on weekends, and I really enjoy it. Eventually, I’d like to become a mobile mechanic.”

By combining steady work with his passion for cars, Andrew now has the flexibility and foundation to grow his career in whichever direction he chooses.

Looking back on his time at UEI, Andrew says it was more than worth the investment.

“It was actually the one time in my life I enjoyed going to school,” he said. “It was definitely time well invested and totally worth it.”

For students considering the UEI’s Automotive program, he offers the following advice:

“There’s a lot to learn, but it’s all beneficial,” he said. “And there’s a saying that really helped me get through it: What comes easy doesn’t last, but what lasts doesn’t come easy.”