Universal Technical Institute, which provides post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, is launching the first Mercury Marine technician career training certification program at its Orlando, Fla., campus. The news was announced in a press release from the Fond du Lac, Wis., marine engine and products company.

Marine Technician Specialist program students now can pursue and achieve provisional certification as factory-certified technicians for Mercury Marine outboard products. MMI is the only career technical education school in the country offering Mercury Marine is this certification program, according to the release.

The Mercury Marine technician certification program was developed in partnership with Mercury Marine and its Mercury University division. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“Investing in training qualified Mercury Marine technicians is an investment in our future,” said Rob Schrage, Mercury Marine’s director of field service development and operations, in the release. “Partnering with MMI was a natural fit for us to support the growing need for Mercury-trained technicians.”

There is no additional cost to MMI students to obtain the certification. In addition to meeting MMI Marine program graduation requirements, students pursuing the certification must complete Mercury University components embedded into the 51-week marine technician training program as well as additional online E-skills and distance-learning courses.

“This partnership is the latest reflection of our collaboration with our industry partners to train students with the skills employers want and validates MMI’s position as the premier school for training marine service technicians,” said Steve McElfresh, president of Marine Mechanics Institute and its sister campuses, Universal Technical Institute and Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, in Orlando, in the release. “We have been collaborating with Mercury on curriculum since 1998 and we are delighted to partner with Mercury to help train the next generation of certified Mercury technicians.”

The Mercury Marine technician certification program was developed in partnership with Mercury Marine and its Mercury University division. Graduates can achieve a provisional factory certification for Mercury Marine outboard motors and will have partially completed the training requirements for certification for MerCruiser stern drives. The provisional certification becomes active upon employment with a Mercury Marine dealership within two years of graduation.

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