Lenroy Cambran graduated from Universal Technical Institute (UTI) 16 years ago and, since then, has only worked for a single company: Cox Automotive. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I got the job through UTI and from the time I graduated back in 2007, I haven’t left [to another company] so that shows you it’s a great job,” said Lenroy, who is supervisor of commercial services at Manheim Orlando. “It’s a truly remarkable company: they have great benefits; they are family oriented and have great leadership.”
Recently, Lenroy and two other UTI graduates were invited to UTI Orlando to speak to current students about their respective career journeys — and why they all chose to work at Cox Automotive and Manheim. Here’s what they shared.
1. You’re paid by the hour instead of a flat rate.
When Daniel Laciste graduated from UTI in 2012, he went to work for a dealership. After a few years, he heard about what it was like to work for Manheim from some former colleagues who’d made the switch. He was sold specifically because of the pay rate.
“It’s hourly; that’s what drew me toward [Manheim] the most,” said Daniel, who is now an auto maintenance technician II at Manheim. “It’s way better than the flat rate thing.”
2. You have great benefits on top of the great pay.
Another UTI graduate, Jason Goss, joined Manheim later in his automotive career. He said he was late to the party in finding out about career opportunities with Cox, but he’s so glad to have found them.
“Had I known sooner, I definitely would have jumped right on it,” said Jason, who is now a mechanic shop supervisor at Manheim.
One of the biggest draws for him about working at Cox is the employee benefits, including 30+ days of paid vacation and company holidays per year, great healthcare coverage from day one, a generous 401(k) retirement package with company match and free ASE training/certification (with a pay increase for completing these certifications).
“The benefits package is absolutely amazing compared to anywhere else you’re going to go,” he said.
3. You get to work on lots of different cars and improve your skills.
Daniel may have joined Maheim because of the salary and benefits, but one of the reasons he sees a long-term career here is because it’s the perfect place to gain a variety of hands-on experience.
Unlike a dealership, where you may be diagnosing the same issues on the same models, Manheim techs get to work on different vehicles all the time.
“You touch everything, from Lamborghinis to regular Dodges; it’s pretty diverse,” Daniel said.
At the same time, you’re not expected to know your way around every kind of vehicle. Cox emphasizes mentorship and skill development, so techs can learn how to solve problems in a supportive environment.
“You don’t have to be stressed about not knowing how to fix this or that because there’s always someone there to help you,” Daniel said. “They’ll stick you with one of the senior techs, and there’s a lot of them from different manufacturing backgrounds, so you’re constantly learning, which I love.”
4. You have work-life balance.
Daniel, Jason and Lenroy all agreed that Cox’s culture is part of what leads to having a better work-life balance as an employee at the company. This is not the kind of place where you’re burning out or afraid to call in sick.
“You never get bored and you’re not under the gun,” Daniel said. “Yeah, you have to produce, but you’re not stressed out about it.”
Daniel, who has many years left in his career, is impressed by the number of long-serving employees at Manheim. This, he believes, says a great deal about Cox as an employer.
“There’s a reason why I work with so many guys who’ve been there 20-plus years and they plan to retire here and hopefully, I will, too,” he said.
