On his 17th birthday, right out of high school, Woody Carroll enlisted in the Marines. He knew it would be hard work, but that and his pride in our country are what motivated him to join. After serving 10 years in places around the globe like North Carolina, California, Panama, Cuba, Norway, Spain and Korea, Carroll decided it was time to pursue his other passion – working on cars.

Carroll enrolled at Universal Technical Institute’s campus in Rancho Cucamonga, California as a student in the Automotive Program. He graduated in 2005 and went on to work for Chrysler Dealerships and K&N Engineering before UTI asked him to come back to school – this time as an instructor. Carroll has served as an instructor at the Dallas/Ft. Worth campus since it opened in 2010.

“Being a Marine has been my favorite job, but teaching at UTI is a close second,” says Carroll. “I love helping kids learn new things. My favorite part is getting to see them have that ‘aha’ moment. That’s what makes my job so great.”

As an instructor, Carroll makes it a point to reach out to current veteran students attending the UTI-Dallas/Ft. Worth campus. UTI took care of him as a veteran student and he wants to do the same.

“When I first came to UTI after serving in the Marines, they helped me make the transition to civilian life,” said Carroll. “I want to help our students do the same thing. Students today that are coming to UTI have had a much different experience in the military than I did. Many of them have seen combat day after day, year after year. I want them to know there are support services that UTI offers for veterans and students and instructors that are there to help them.”  

The UTI-Dallas/Ft. Worth campus brings veteran students together for regular meetings where they can discuss any problems or issues they are having with their peers. The campus also serves as a resource for veterans as they transition back to civilian life, providing assistance on everything from housing to employment.

“I wasn’t battle weary when I got out of the Marines. Veterans today have so much more to worry about. But it’s a truly inspiring thing to see how much veteran students are accomplishing at UTI. I’m just glad this campus is so dedicated to helping veterans transition to a successful career in the automotive and diesel industry.”