On-site services
Yes
Ohio Technical College in Cleveland
Categories
Location on the map
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, US
Service options
Online classes
No
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Crowd
LGBTQ+ friendly
Yes
Phone: +1 800-322-7000
Site: http://www.ohiotech.edu/
Site: http://www.ohiotech.edu/
Opening hours
- Monday:7AM–6PM
- Tuesday:7AM–6PM
- Wednesday:7AM–6PM
- Thursday:7AM–6PM
- Friday:7AM–6PM
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Closed
Comments (117)
Love the look and feel of the place. The faculty are extremely qualified and seem very passionate about the students.
My experience at Ohio tech college has been great, starting from the enrollment with Nader Hassen and my training with each instructor in the Collision & Refinishing program. After leaving the Military I decided to take up a trade and OTC I feel was a great fit for me I’ve enjoyed my training and time here Im enrolling In the Rod & Custom program next.
My son attends OTC for the Welding program and from the beggining the communication has been excellent. We were lucky to be assigned to Nader Hassen Who helps us coordinate anything we need for our son. We are 9 hours away and It was very hard to leave our son right out of HS in the peak of the pandemic but Nader was like an angel. He always had an answer and If it did not have the answer he would find out and get right back to me. Carly from housing was also very helpful. The housing available is not the best but he adjusted better than I did. My son often speaks highly of his instructors specifically Thomas Rower! He evaluates him as 10/10. He says the school is very good and the program is excellent but very often they dont have enough supplies to work with. Thank you for all.
What a special place!Where else can students who apply themselves:-graduate with a degree or diploma in 12-18 months-get hands on training by an experienced staff who sincerely care about them and their future-have several career opportunities to choose from prior to graduation-lifetime partnership for career services / update trainingI am very impressed with the students and staff that I had the pleasure to meet. They know their stuff and are professional, courteous and genuinely seem to LOVE being there.In dealing with auto and diesel dealerships and talking to them about their service staff, many say OTC is the nations best kept secret. I see now why many employers are saying that.I highly recommend visiting the campus to see the high quality of individuals both attending school and working there. Very unique! Very Industry friendly!Just WOW! Have not seen a trade school go above and beyond this way since the 90s! Great work OTC! I was very impressed and cant wait for Career Day on May 8th!
I just had the pleasure of touring this awesome college at their recent open house. Everyone was so helpful. From my admissions representative, Mr. Whitman, who worked with my son and I on the application process and setting up a tour, to the staff at the school, it has been a pleasure every step of the way. Everyone at the campus makes you feel like they are your old friends. Financial aid department is very easy to work with and accommodating. This school really seems to care more about its students than the others we have visited. We even visited some of the local places where students have gone to work and heard great things about this school.
We just toured Ohio Tech with our daughter, she was absolutely thrilled...and we were beyond impressed. After reviewing various areas of study and the curriculums within, we were not only convinced this is where she needed to attend college, but where she and her friends (who were going to a 4 year school) should now attend OTC in the fall together. They are literally pouring, what appears to be millions of dollars into the facility, training aides and staff. It’s a wonderful thing to see this global institution continuing to establish itself as the go to for modern skilled training for technicians. We were informed the 3rd generation Brenners (owners) are at the helm now and with experience like that, results are at my daughters fingertips. Bravo to OTC and the city of Cleveland. We want the best for you my Love, now your efforts will end this story. We love you, mom and dad.
Drove 4+ hrs a day to attend this college! All i have to say is it was time well spent. The instructors were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. They gave me a start in the career i wanted and have helped me achieve getting the first job i applied to since graduating just 3 weeks ago. Never did i imagine after my initial meeting with Nader that i would have achieved this so quickly. Thank you to all the Instructors, thank you Nader. You GET What You Put IN!!!!!
Absolutely one of the best things my son has ever done. OTC is so much more than just a College. My son has always had a passion for cars. But OTC taught him much more than just how to become an outstanding automotive technician. He started there as an 18 year old teen boy. He graduated in 2016 as an admirable young man who can take care of himself, support himself financially, and make excellent life choices. During an incredibly difficult time in his life -- a loss of a parent -- he navigated through his career with the help of his family, friends, his school peers and his instructors. Those at OTC were his mentors, his brotherhood. Seeing him graduate as Valedictorian was the proudest moment of my life. And seeing him as the successful young man that he is today at a high profile BMW dealership, working on the cars of his dreams, and doing it with confidence and pride is extremely satisfying. Thank you to the staff at OTC, especially Cora and Bonnie, and all of his instructors for helping to mold him into the terrific young man he has become today. Words cannot thank you enough.
PSI prepared me for my job and gave me many certifications to make me more appealing to the dealers I applied to. It was easy to get hired in. All of the instructors at PSI are very knowledgeable and no doubt was worth every penny from all the notes and special hints the instructors give you throughout the course. The space they are in is new and still getting organized but by the time I graduated in June 2019 it was very nice to enjoy a neat school environment. I would suggest it to family and friends.
As a graduate of the college, I did enjoy my experience to an extent. I took the diesel program and I did learn quite a lot, however this is coming from someone who has never touched a diesel before starting there. Instructors are very knowledgeable, they know what they are doing. However, financial aid is atrocious, the housing program is terrible, and the job placement hasnt been very helpful. The school is in really bad shape, it desperately needs a new roof, the equipment is sub par, although its all maintained as best as the instructors can, they just cant fix everything the way it needs to be.
I graduated OTC in 2015 from the welding department WT-33!! The instruction was top notch and shop to class ratio was 80/20. I cant speak for the other training departments but the financial aid, housing placement and more importantly the welding department where incredible. Students only take from this school what they give, anyone saying this welding school is a bad decision didnt want to be there in the first place. They didnt want the trade and they didnt want the plethora of knowledge the instructors have to offer.
The school is truly a scam. Equipment is out dated, instructors are not qualified or knowledgeable unlike the handful of five star reviews say. They dont have the proper tools for training. Please dont waste your GI Bill there. They tell veterans using the GI Bill they should be thankful for getting a free ride. My fellow veterans and I EARNED our GI Bill. The staff is dishonest and disrespectful. (treat you like a child) The classrooms flood and students are expected to help clean up theyre mess during training hours. Not spending 30,000 grand to learn to be a janitor. The roof fell in next to a group of students. Could have killed someone. When I brought it up to administration, I was told it wasnt necessary to fix. Much of these 5 star reviews are placed by employees of the school. They will steal your money and giggle to the bank. What happened to the days when a customer isnt happy with the product they get theyre money back. This school is just the rich getting richer off the little ppl and when you call them on getting your moneys worth they laugh you out the door. If I could give them 0 stars, I would. ; Updated on 11/2018. Still have had no resolution to the issues of this post. The way this school operates should be criminal. Someone should go to jail for stealing from veterans. They stole $20,000 of my GI Bill. Cant get it back unless they do the right thing. Dont think anyone in that place has the integrity to do the right thing. Shame on you Ohio technical college.
I came in not knowing really anything and found out very quickly that the instructors are here to help. They challenged me and taught me a ton in such a short amount of time. I put in as much time as I could working part time as a student worker and working part time in the industry. Working while I was going to school was very rewarding and putting things that I was learning to use was even more helpful. One of my favourite quotes about the school that one of my friends that I met while going here was if you put 100% into this school, it will give 150% back. Its true, theyre still helping me even after Ive graduated.
My nephew is attending now and loves it. We were very fortunate to have the help of Nadar Hassen, who guided our family through the entire process. Nadar has been there every step of the way and never hesitates to help where needed. He had made my nephews experience that much better!
Ohio technical college is by far and away one the best dedicated automotive colleges in the country. This school is not meant for an easy out or an easy alternative to a college degree. This school is here to provide some of the best hands on and straight forward information regarding the automotive field. In my time spent there I saw kids rise to the top and those that fell did so due to their own misguided approach. This school will offer you all the tools necessary to make it in this field including contacts in the industry to help you along. I started this school with full intentions of doing more with my life and OTC provided me with environment I needed to help my passion flourish. Im now a level one, fully certified BMW technician, doing exactly what I love, and making the type of money I need to, to make the life I want.
Ok let’s be real with the reviews. No school is perfect for anyone, some students need more structure and some need a reality check . But I will say that you get out of it what you put into it. My son did so well he amazed me! He set a goal for himself and didn’t let anyone or anything stop him! Did he complain about teachers sometimes... yes but he also found solutions to address the situation. He graduated valedictorian from his program and from BMW’s program. He landed a great job and is on his own. OTC staff supported him every step of the way! They also helped me anytime I needed it! I hope students considering it take the time to visit , ask questions and truly listen to the response. If this is their calling then I couldn’t suggest a better place!
I graduated in December of 2017 and took the classic car restoration course. If you are intrested in the course, i say go for it. The instructors in that course actually do care on your education and will help you. I cant say the same for other courses/instructors, especially diesel. Ive learned alot during my training and gotten good grades but you must put in the effort and not slack off. Financial aid needs improving though. They tend to mess up a bit with payments and loans. If you are planning to go with collegiate housing, i encourage you to find your own placs or rent a house with a few people if money is a concern. They had me move 5 times during the 18 months i was there! 5 times! They put me in apartments with people who are ready to graduate forcing you to move again and again due to the amount of people in the apartment. One apartment they moved me into had bed bugs and they blamed it on us, making all of us pay 800 for heat treatment. I refuse to pay 800 for a place that they put me in. Then they kicked me out 3 months before i graduate and want me to pay the rest of my rent when im not even part of their housing anymore. I have yet to pay and wont. The housing system is a big joke. Stay away from them. The school has crappy/broken tools, so you cant even finish your task. The roofs leak and the classrooms flood. Its not a bad school overall but needs much improving.
I was sold on this place as I was sure I wanted to be an automotive technician when I was younger. I was also swayed by their connections with BMW and the S.T.E.P. program. So I applied for their Complete Automotive Technician program. The 18 month program includes their basic automotive program, with the addition of alternative fuels, and high performance.The basic automotive program was ok. Decent instructors, pretty good curriculum. The biggest complaint I would have is that as far as training on specialized equipment (battery tester, A/C tester, compression tester...), they usually only had one of each piece of equipment so we didnt get much hands on time with it. Also, there would be more than one class in the shop and that could interfere as well. That and the overall care and maintenance of the vehicles was abysmal. They were in terrible shape and most days felt like we were training in a scrap yard.The alternative fuels program was fairly new when I was a student and vehicles to train with were limited. They had a small handful of first generation Prius and a CNG powered Chevy Silverado. Class instruction was good, but hands on with the cars was bad. There was no structure from the two instructors and time in the shop turned into downtime as we werent given much direction.The final phase was high performance. This was the worst. And what made it worse was the anticipation of getting there. The curriculum was not followed at all. Most days in the shop were spent fabricating brackets for our instructors drag race car, or doing nothing. We never learned how to dial in suspensions, adjust timings, tune air/fuel ratios, setup a dyno... nothing.We watched incredibly boring instructional videos half the time in the classroom too. Overall I felt scammed by this school and would not recommend it to anyone. If this type of institution is what you are looking for, I strongly recommend looking at UTI or WyoTech. Or even your local technical college.OTC is not anywhere near as well respected as they imply, and definitely not worth the money.Ps.Im not an automotive technician anymore and am happier for it.
All about making the school money. Will give enrollment to people that should not be in the program. All around a very bad experience. Most of the programs do not prepare you for a real world job.I understand the need for rules, they are trying to prepare you to follow the rules on your job. However they are on power trips, they enforce the rules as an act of vengeance. I feel like I was in some sort of communist country going to school there. All the upper administration should be ashamed of how they run this school. Not recommended to anyone, look elsewhere.
I would like to say that I had one long journey one that most don’t have to take because due to the pandemic. From day 1 that I sat down with Nader to post grad and now I’m in generators!!!! He’s very helpful with making sure you have a easy process while attending the school. I couldn’t thank him enough for getting me through all this. Also big shout out to those in the front office who put up with me lol but also seen me grow! There so many to name… THANK YOU ALL and btw what you get out of otc is what you put in.
I am a graduate of Ohio Diesel Technical Institute class of 1979. I loved my experience while in school and have been in the industry ever since. I now run the maintenance program for a trucking company in Northwest Ohio. With that said when my son expressed interest in becoming a technician the first place I called was Ohio technical institute. Despite several phone calls no one ever contacted me. Other than sending us a brochure we were never able to speak to anyone that could help us. All I ever got was someone will contact you right away. They never did. My son is now a 4.0 student at Owens with a full ride scholarship!! Very disappointed in lack of interest from what I considered to be a top notch school.
Well I dont know where to begin!!! Where some might say its a waste of money or time. For me it was worth every second of my life. This school has great instructors and stuff that help you get where you want to go and help achieved your goals !!! Having trouble in class? Instructors come in on friday to help you or even after class during the week !! People that can help you if your having trouble financially and mentally being home sick or a hard time getting use to becoming a young adult plus more !!! This school will push you to become the best!! You have to be willing to show up on time with your tools and uniform. To go the extra mile to better your education to get your ASE or any other certifications. Finding friends that are on track with you on achiving goals and finding friends not a problem no matter what age most of my friends were 30 and up and we still talk every day !!! School is not easy so if you cant apply yourself to the school and becoming an adult then this school is not for you. But if you can them come join the family. I was a perfect attendance, honor roll, student leader, a full-time employee at Goodyear and full time student all school year and still was involved in school activities. I graduated in March 2015 with one of the best automotive class there could be. Working for Liberty Ford as a line Technician and still getting calls form all over the area and country from employers. Take the time and check out the school, talk with staff and instructors dont just listen to the kids that did not put the effort into the school to accomplish their goals. If I can accomplish mine I know you can accomplish yours. Be a leader not a follower and come join our OTC family where you can be a leader.Feel free to ask about me and Ill be more than happy to talk to you at any time.
The only thing this college appreciates about veterans is the GI bill money. I was literally told by the head of security that all of us veterans are entitled brats who think they can get away with anything. I cant believe I wasted 18 months of my hard earned GI bill at this college. This is not a military oriented school. Auto transmission class is a joke, nothing but YouTube videos and Google searches. The vast majority of my skills were acquired in the field in the school of hard knocks. School is located in a terrible part of town. Finance dept is terrible. Dept heads are tyrants. Robert Vaughans military experience seems to make him think he is smarter and better than you, no matter who you are or where you have been. This school is a degree mill. Your degree is useless in the real world. Dont waste your time, money, or GI bill unless you want to be treated like subservient scum.
The kids were supposed to get a starter set of MOPAR tools as part of the tuition. Four months in and my son finally got a partial set of used and beat up tools. Hes spent the last month working on old V8 carburetors. They frequently have him do repairs that are slap-dash and not spec. This school does NOT preparing people to work on modern cars. It is an absolute waste of money and time. Plus teachers stand by while students make racist and anti-semitic comments.The housing provided for the kids via Collegiate Housing is in the worst apartments. They look great on the walk-through, but once the kids move in, its clear these are slums. Prostitutes soliciting, drug deals, a guy dropping bullets while in the elevator. A man was shot in the parking lot last week just below my sons apartment. Save your money.
I loved otc. I was one of the people (unlike the ones leaving bad reviews under the school) who actually applied themselves and got a sponsorship while in generators. I graduated with an awesome job because I was motivated and I worked for it. It amazes me that theres people who actually expect to sit in a classroom and screw off for 18 months then be handed a job making 100k a year meanwhile they missed 19 days of school. Its not a free ride. if you want to earn something you have to work for it.
This school may provide you with great opportunities if you want it. Showing up early, behaving like an adult, and presenting a solid work ethic will earn the respect of your instructors, who have years if not decades of industry experience. They want to bring good trustworthy students to become future workers in their trade. Something your future employers are expecting from you. I graduated from the Welding program with an associates degree. I earned several awards, and obtained AWS certs that have helped me land a great job. Im very happy with time I have spent there and the relationships that developed.
Went here and took everything seriously. Schools cosmetic appearance can be considered rough around the edges but thats not important. What is important is the education and the experience. The instructors were very knowledgeable and the staff was very supportive. I graduated with 9 AsEs and 200+ GM certifications. I took my education very seriously and got a phenomenal job through the school and had offers all over the country. Its get what you give.
These negative comments are definitely NOT true. You get out of this College what you put in. I am currently taking Diesel Technology with the Associates Degree and would not have gone to any other tech school, all you have to do is be willing to put forth the effort to learn. Instructors all have actual years of experience working in the industry. The students do all the work when it comes to working in the shop on the training aids and many trucks they have, not the instructor, they are only there to help if needed or answer questions. This has really helped me learn what I need to learn to work in the industry.The school even has a career services center to help students get a job both while in school and upon graduation. The sweetest ladies work there and are willing to help you out as long as you go to them and tell them you are looking for a job.Would DEFINITELY recommend this college to friends and family.
Im not recommending this school, or endorsing it one bit. Veterans dont waste your hard earned GI Bill money at this school. For one its a lot like a high school vocational school for one, and that how you get treated. Secondly they will take points away for not cleaning the shop. Im all for cleaning my mess up, but even if you had no shop time for that week, they want you to clean. Also wear a raincoat the place has major roof leaks and severe safety concerns. Also another piece of information. Look on Glass Door and see what former employees have to say. Bottom line this place gets at best 1star. I could go on but Ill spare you. Its just my opinion.
This is an OKAY school. However, they treat you like a child the entire time. If you just came out of high school and want to keep a high school feel, this is the place for you. This place IS NOT ran like a college. Im surprised they let you use the bathroom without raising your hand first and asking for permission.The biggest joke of this school is their Financial Aid department. No one in that department seems to know what is going on. I went from getting student loan refund checks of a couple hundred dollars a quarter, to actually owing the school money somehow. They started my class at the wrong time, so I lost all my fifth quarter benefits after being told I was all set and would never owe a penny. Now we are getting called down there all the time to sign papers that keep making things worse.Another point I would like to add. Mr Robert Vaughn, the automotive department head. He is generally an awesome guy, and very easily respected. He treats students fair. However, he has a huge anger issue. Someone will upset him and he will take it out on everyone for the rest of the day, going classroom to classroom, interupting instructors to rant about nonsense.Now, there are some awesome instructors here, and some not so awesome ones. Mr Yurmonavitch, (probably spelled wrong, better known as Mr Y) Mr Schmauder, Mr Thompson, and Mr Post are all extremely knowledgeable instructors, with lots of experience under their belt. Unfortunately for them, all the training aids are pieces of junk that dont run, so you dont even know if you fixed it properly. They cant even put working batteries in the cars that do run. Re-manufactured pieces of junk that dont hold a charge for more then 5 mins. They also love to have instructors teach classes they have no business teaching. My Automatic trans and my manual transmission instructor had no clue what he was doing. He told us he has only ever rebuilt two transmissions in his entire life, and that was when he went to school. He would google things as we went, and we watched a lot of YouTube videos. I can do that at home.The school is located in a not so nice part of east Cleveland. They will try to tell you its not that bad, but having cars stolen and things stolen out of cars from the locals happens. Cleveland is one of the shittiest places Ive ever been, and I live by 3 of the worst cities in the US (Saginaw, Flint, Detroit)The only options for food while youre at OTC, is subway or vending machines. They used to have a local restaurant come in and offer a large variety of food, at good prices, but they kicked him out for Subway. Now dont get me wrong, Subway is pretty good. But not 4 days a week, and that starts to get costly. You can bring g your own lunch obviously, but you cant have food in the shop. So you have to leave it in the classroom. Usually you are in the shop around lunchtime, so that often means you have to walk to a different building to get your lunch.Seriously consider all your options BEFORE attending Ohio Technical College. Im sure there is better options out there.I attended there April 4th 2016 to September 21st 2017 (currently attending unless past date)
Graduated in 2007 from auto body and custom paint. I was excited to attend but like the reviews show, this school is not worth it. When we entered the all awaited custom paint course the school didnt provide the promised pancake compressors. Instead providing a gift card for the school store. The housing is s joke. 400+ a person so 800 or 1600 total from students for one apartment. When you can go to the apartment complex directly and pay under 600 solo. Not a technician anymore and from who i talked to only 2 or 3 from my class still work on cars.
NOT VETERAN FRIENDLY!!I started here in september of 2017. I chose OTC because it was listed as a yellow ribbon school. Because I am still in the active reserves, once a month I have drill in West Virginia which would occasionally pull me out of class on Thursdays. They immediately gave me a hard time and I often had to miss drill days due to backlash from the school. They made it clear from the beginning that the education aspect was not as important as attendance, so even though I did well in class I still faced alot of scrutiny from the administration. In April I was cut orders for my yearly AT. I got a memo from the unit in March informing me of this and I forwarded it to OTC 3 to 4 weeks before leaving. When asked what the procedure was for my military leave I was told to attend school until I had to leave, and that I would return the day after I got back. When I got home it was very late Sunday night/Monday morning so I called Monday to inform them I would return Tuesday. When I called they stated I had already been pulled from class due to unexpected military absence. They called it this after I had given them a memo which excused me from school. On top of that, they waited to withraw me until after they got paid from the VA, even though the paperwork should have been submitted weeks prior. Due to this I am now responsible for a substantial debt with the VA. Needless to say I chose to not retun after that. This school is absolutely NOT military friendly. They only want to take our VA benefits and dont provide anything in return. SIDE NOTE: The curriculum needs badly reformed. None of the cars you learn on are current.Sincerely,AN ANGRY VETERAN
Don’t waste your time or money, at times your teacher won’t even be trained in the class your taking. There’s been classes where the last 2 weeks of the mod you do almost nothing. Ive had several employers tell me most OTC student know very little coming out of this program. Student housing is a scam, you’ll pay over 400 a month to share a 2 bd apartment with 4 guys. After coming out of the electrical class only 2 kids out of 28 knew how to use a multimeter..
I was a 1986 grad and agree with most of the other reviews, you are not treated like an adult. When Julius died, the son turned the place into a light show with little regard to the students needs to succeed. (It was all about putting money into his own pocket!) As a shop owner, I was invited to come down there to evaluate their programs. After 3 years of that, nothing changed as It is a poor curriculum with no modern software or engines to work with. As a student going into the real world, they would be lost. As an employer, I have contacted them numerous times to try to interview students and would never receive a response. Dont waste your money or time!
Look other places. This school is not in a good part of town. My car got broken into twice in a two month period. Huge waste of money. They promise job placement but that is not true. They give you places that isnt even hiring.... total joke! This school is all about advertisement. If you go on a tour talk to the students you see not the tour guide. Ask them how they like it.
I graduated from this school back before it became this huge business what it is now.Back then the owners Mr. Brenner and his son where still there Along w the military man Mr. Watt it was ran like a military school be on time or get detail and I had plenty of them. I worked 2nd shift into 3rd so it was hard making to class on time. Now as far as the education goes I got plenty of class and text info however when it came to learning mechanical stuff I learned more hands on than what was given to us at the time. I wish it was more hands on .Anyways mechanics isnt for everyone and as you get old you may change careers. They did offer real good dealer opritunities but that was very selective. Must keep a real high score I was never a good test taker.
I have seen a few kids come out of this school and know not a single thing about cars. They dont teach the basics like brakes or oil changes or even how to pack a wheel bearing. But they have their ASE tests completed. Something is defiantly wrong with this place.Update...... Found another graduate at the OTC that worked at a friend of mine shop downtown and he has some real good stories about his recent grad hire and how he knew nothing of cars and he even cost him a hundred dollars in having to replace all the lug bolts and nuts on a car because a kid did not know how to put a wheel on a car. Do you not think that should be one of the main things they teach is taking wheels off of cars and how to put them on properly.....
Graduated in 2011 from the welding program. Like most things in life, you get out what you put in. If you take it seriously (hard to do for many 18 yr olds) you will be prepared to enter the work force. If you act like a child and dont apply yourself, dont blame it on this college. I learned many valuable skills from OTC and got a job 2 months before I graduated. There are TONS of jobs around Cleveland for skilled trades.If you are from out of state (like I was) I wouldnt recommend Collegiate Housing. You can find a good apartment in the suburbs away from the rif raf of Cleveland. Try Eastlake, Mentor, Westlake, Rocky River etc...
Diesel tech program was okay at best. Learned some basic things, worked on outdated equipment (855s talk about old school) learned a few things about engines that are 10+ years old, they only have cummins engines, a few power stokes, and some foreign diesels to work on. No real agricultural equipment. No CAT training, no duramax, no John Deere, but hey when youre in bed with Cummins what do you expect. But if you ask anyone that works there (like Kate Tatum....why waste $30k just to work at that school???) the school isnt sponsored by anyone. They refuse to fix the roof as a whole and instead are patching it up as it leaks (reminds me of the little boy with his finger on the dam). No real VA help or representation. There are few people there that actually care what or how you learn. And the Matco store is a joke students have waited 5+ months for tools they ordered. Me personally? Im going on 3 months waiting on a 10mm ratcheting wrench to come back from a warranty claim. If youre not spending money at the Matco store they really dont care about you.Welding program- not too bad. Outdated equipment but hey a welder is a welder right? Easy to learn and 3/4 of the welding instructors are helpful and experienced. You get a discount on welding certifications so cant complain about that. Just dont expect to do a lot of 6010 because 7018 is god here. The only program Id take is welding and I wish I did my diesel tech program somewhere else. But hey if the VA is paying my tuition I really cant complain about wasted money right?
As a graduate who received an associates degree, I can honestly say it is NOT worth the money. You can learn some things if you have never picked up a wrench, but 90% of what I know is from me working in the field. Also, the school is not accredited so if you want to fall back on that associates degree it wont mean a thing. I cant post a pic but I have a screen shot on my phone from a rejection letter telling me my college credits wont count towards my application test scores. If I could go back, I would ask a potential employer to let me shadow a technician for free to learn what the career is like.In my 16 months of schooling, I never learned how to use an acetalyne torch, brake flaring tools, alignment machine, AC nitrogen test kits, power probes, how to properly clean gasket surfaces, how to tell if a brake caliper or hose is locked up or collapsed, how to use an alignment machine, how to use a ball joint press, how to press in wheel bearings on a shop press, how to properly install U joints without them binding, how to use a MIG welder, and many other skills I take for granted. This school teaches theory and nothing else. Im 31 years old and still paying on my loans.
These are some crazy reviews! Wow! So ya there are some real idiots walking around OTC (like the ones posting some of these reviews) who have not grown up yet and want to have their hand held and make excuses for everything and its everyone elses fault they arent learning anything. The truth is people - if you do what you are supposed to do like come to school, study and work hard, youll be successful!!!!! Isnt that what you do in college! These little whiners are in for a rude awakening when they try to get a REAL job. Mommy isnt going to be there to hold your hand and those lame excuses arent gonna fly! Its really easy to blame OTC or their staff for your failures, but there are also thousands of us who actually did the work and are working in rewarding careers! Those staff members at OTC really care about their students and work hard to help them be successful. They even help you after you graduate! So if youre looking for a great training school dont listen to the opinion of a bunch of cry babies! Thanks OTC for helping me land my dream job!!!!!!!
Dont waste your money at this college. Dont get involved with this industry in general. Take it from someone who was a Mercedes Benz Auto Tech for almost two years, and was a graduate from this exact college in 2017. There is absolutely no job security doing this. Employers will screw you over the minute you walk in the door, and the pay is terrible. Even after going to this college you make just as much, or less than a fast food worker. Managers at the work establishments will lie to your face, and promise you the world. They will supposedly claim that they will send you to training, but they never do. You also might as well make the tool truck people your best friend if you ever want tools. They will charge you exorbitant prices for simple things, and you can easily put yourself over 5 thousand dollars or more in debt before you know it. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR, AND FIND A DIFFERENT CAREER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT GET IN THIS INDUSTRY. ITS A TRAP! SAVE YOURSELF, AND GO DO SOMETHING ELSE!!!!!!! DONT LET THEM LIE TO YOU, AND TELL YOU THE INDUSTRY IS BEGGING FOR WORKERS BECAUSE THEY ARENT!
Well myself and my son both attended. i was 5 th in my class with perfect attendance , my son blew it out of the box ase master tech 180 gm certs at graduation. Well if you mom is writing a review bashing the school , well the problem is right their. This school will make you grow up and become an outstanding person, but ya have to grow up !!!! The industry is not for the weak.
It was a fantastic experience attending Ohio Technical College. I graduated from High Performance & Racing Technology and it’s one of the best things that I’ve ever gone through with. Absolutely loved the course and the instructors were amazing.
Otc was the best decision I ever made. I found Otc after I got out of the Marine corp. I attended Otc with one goal...to become a BMW technician. I attended class everyday and received academic excellence for 6 quarters. I got accepted into the BMW step program and now work in Jupiter Florida as a BMW technician. Nothing was given to me at otc, everything was earned. I invested my time to get the best education I could get. My hard work paid off more than I ever expected. I live in paradise, my first year will pay more than 60k for the year, I have plans on buying my first house this year, and so much more. I am beyond excited for the future and it all started at otc
I currently attend this school. This morning i arrived with my OTC jacket on top of a shirt that wasnt otc but i kept it zipped up & concealed because we are strict about otc being our outermost layer, i feel this isnt asking too much that your school is advertised on the outside it makes sense. But when i was asked why i didnt have an undershirt i explained i had stained it real bad the night before & it was washing this morning i was told this was unnacceptable & i will be sent home no warning next time. So afterwards i decided to glance at our student handbooks we had signed when we first came here & they clearly state “ OTC issues 3 garments, a hat, a coat, & a workshirt. Thats it. A couple bullets down it says your “outermost layer must be an otc issued” so in my mind when i read this i felt the rules may not be clearly stated. so when i asked the diesel director Mr. Minnachio he told me that wasnt the updated handbook, i asked if he could access a copy of this for me, He told me you got hands go on your phone & find it. So i did, i found a new handbook that only states “ students are expected to maintain a professional appearance at all times, which is determined by OTC & its managaement staff” thats it. So while im learning this im served a paper saying i need to leave school due to me “running my mouth” when i walked into class and was talking about it inside. So before i left i decided to take this to the director of the school Mr. Hantl, who was about the same amount of help.All i asked is where the specific rules are that show a newcoming otc atudent what he/she is supposed to wear when looking through the handbook, i was told “they can come in & ask” (after the fact of attendance & getting the points taken off regardless for not being dressed) so today i asked in a few different ways how it is acceptable to send me home when im abiding by rules & doing my work just because my shirt that isnt even showing isnt the correct one. So because im a student from Ny i had missed some days due to holidays & family stuff so i dont have many days to just lose because we are a clock hour school, so today i lost 17/25 points for the day & 6 hours of time all because my undershirt was wrong, i just feel this school from the beginning is more worried about the checks than they are your education, really is unfortunate to say but... when i said i Feel this school has the wrong priorities and Mr. Hantle told me if im upset than its easy to drop out, like... i thought my education was supposed to come first here, im not even gonna go into any of my other stories i just figure while im sitting in there parking lot i should share. I moved here september 22, 2017.. i realized my mistakes by october, dont even bother
The professionalism of the staff is great. If any questions I have had being a the school I felt that anyone could answer and if not they know who to ask.
Attending this school was the worst decision of my life. I took a loan out through the school to assist with financing. They issued me a payment schedule to begin in june of 2016, then four months into me paying them extra on each payment, on time for each payment, they retro-actively changed my depature date from the school (without warning) and rendered my account nearly $400 overdue, overnight (without alerting me). This knocked my credit score by almost 100 points rendering me incapable of obtaining loans for housing, or even renting out an apartment. They performed an act of DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER by ruining my credit, and I will most likely end up in a legal battle attempting to restore my reputation with the credit companies, which they ruined even though i made all my payments on time and with extra principal paid. Absolutely miserable handling of the financial aid department, and the education was mediocre and proved next to useless in the automotive field. DO NOT ATTEND O.T.C.
This is my last week at OTC, and its been a horrible year. Being put in an apartment with roommates that dont clean and i being the one doing everything. Financial aid office not filing papers correctly and making you come in 3 to 4 times to sign loan papers. Being raked over the coals for money, i have a credit account for cert money and them demanding i pay out of pocket because they are too lazy to look on a computer. Just recently being demanded to stay 12 weeks after my graduation just because i failed an associates class, mind you the class i failed was 2 modules ago and instead of putting me in another class before i graduate.. when i only had one associates class this last module. The welding course is very good but the equipment is garbage. In all i wouldnt recommend this place to anyone unless you have the money for tuition and certs in hand.
Being an OTC Graduate landed my job with International Navistar right out of school. This led me to my future education and to an expectation of furthering my training in education and prepared me for the work place. A great place to get professional training and work related training. Its all about the effort you put in as to what you get out.
Madison McCleese you were not there nor were you privy to hear and see the members of the board attempt to demean my neighbor and another individual.The board was being recorded and the video painted a much different scenario than the one told after the fact. Each member was called out by name when addressed just in case the video portion didnt capture the members and this alone placed them in the room. The school was asked about the proceedings and they denied any wrong doing and their story changed when they were told that the entire discipline proceedings were recorded. Under advisement of a lawyer, he was told to record the proceedings so he would have proof moving forward. The school attempted to rail road/discredit him and the other student. The so called board that convened did not have the ability or knowledge to handle conflict resolution. I urged my neighbor to proceed public with the recordings and force a resolution and a judgement in a local court of law. Integrity as well as safety at this location appears to be lacking. I would strongly caution any parent considering this location for vocational training. Madison your comments were noted.Sincerely,A Legal Eagle
I am a Recruiter for Kelly Generator & Equipment, Inc. Our company has been recruiting at Ohio Technical College since 2006. This is a quality program for those considering a career in the Power Generation field.Because of the technical training in the Power Generation program at Ohio Technical College, we can on-board hired graduates faster, allowing them to become independent and use their trouble shooting skills sooner. An independent technician with troubleshooting skills means advancement at our company can be expedited, enhancing the technicians wages, career path and love of generators.
Outdated shop, bad management , overpriced and in Cleveland. Before sending your son or daughter here do your homework. Call the high school instructors, call students who attended the school, you will be glad you did. Community college is the way to go. I also noticed the great reviews that the school received, these are from the reps who speak in the high schools and come to your homes, sounds unethical wouldnt you agree.
Friendly and caring instructors and staff. They go over and above to help you to become successful. However, you have to want it. Numerous scholarship opportunities and unique training options - BMW, power generator, Cummins, Roadranger for an example plus separate powersport and motorcycle campus.
You get out of what you put into it. I found when attending that those who complained the most seemed to be having the most negative experiences. Only one teacher was bad (Kellogg, I learned nothing from him) but my other auto body teachers were great, esp. Harrington (who even helped me get my drivers license). I graduated in 12/08 and it seems like a lot of positive changes have been made since then.
Went to OTC in 2014 and graduated December 2015. Very good hands on. The tool set they start off to give you is the best. I have a job as I graduated. You can go anywhere around the world. I thank OTC!
I learned a great deal from the instructors here. The staff are extremely helpful anytime you need help. The goal of everyone at OTC is that you get a great education so you can get the great job and do great things in life.
In reference to the previous comment about a seemingly innocent student who was verbally threatened. I would first like to mention that this neighbor knows quite a bit about this incident but has failed to mention a very key point in this story. This well mannered and articulate individual was extremely articulate while using racial slurs in the classroom towards the instigator. Before the school is put in the public eye for allowing students to be violent I found it appropriate to give both sides of the story. Not to mention I doubt that this neighbor was there to witness the incident and said student is not just articulate but quite imaginative.
This place was ass.if you are a little green, this school will not help you properly. The time restriction is ridiculous n it also effects your grade. this school is for kids not for anyone who has any type of responsibilities. If you are black note that most of the kids that you go to school with here have never seen a black person so your going to hear a lot of racial bs. Some of the teachers where also raised around the era where black people and white people used different water fountains so watch out. And your money is going toward all the neon lights not the education.
This college is nothing but a scam. Little to no hands on materials. The instructors either dont know what they are talking about, or just dont care enough to teach you anything. The school is falling appart. They are only after your money. I regret ever attending and am sure to tell everyone I hear considering it as an option to avoid it at all costs.
I wish i could give this school 0 stars. this school is terrible. It really is a joke. All the teachers did were talk about themselves and tell stories. Us (the students) had to ask repeatedly to be taught something and when they did finally throw some knowledge our way it was nothing everyone already didnt know from experience or from a basic vocational school. This school is awful. Myself and many other students could go on for days giving you reasons not to go. save your money.
I was totally blown away!!! I heard great things about the school but when I finally went to go visit I was amazed. I was like a kid in a candy shop. The staff and the instructors were super nice and all the students seemed very happy and were very friendly. After visiting I new this was the place I had to be and I have NEVER regretted it!!!!!!!!
I actually attended this school for a time in 2000 and they seemed really focused on your financial aid. They definitely had a lot of rules. I called 17 years later and they told me I still owed them money lol.I wouldnt mind giving them another shot but 17 years is a long time to hold a grudge.
One of the best hands on schools around You get out of it what you put into it. My brother went there , paid attention, worked hard, and now makes 68 dollars an hour. The staff is amazing. The campus is awesome !!! I highly recommend visiting and seeing for yourself.
If I could choose half a star I would. I started in the power sports program and they moved us from our north Randall campus to an old steel ware house. That is poorly heated an leaks. This school does not care about you as a student. Only your money. Do not come here
I graduated from this school in 1984 when it was ODTI. I am still turning wrenches. I have never been unemployed a day in my life. This school definitely prepared me well for a successful career.
The staff is awesome and helpful. I work at the school, and am in the restoration program. Ive learned a lot of skills that will benefit me in my future. The tools that are provided to the students are stellar.
Only a handful of good teachers. Multiple teachers getting fired during my time here.And dont get me started on the housing stuff got stolen from my apartment and they let the thief go consequence free.
Graduated in 2005 Autobody shop overcrowded more rules than high school and a strict dress code they cant keep the good teachers. Definitely consider other options.
Why are my credits not transferable 😞 I want to get my degree in a different field because automotive is a hit or miss in my area, I took my associates here and was attempting to transfer them, yet I cant. Do your research before you go to this school, and have a loan for something you cant use.🚮
Currently enrolled here don’t waste your money please look for other options they literally harassed my buddy for leaving his review on here because it made them look bad outdated equipment, outdated tools, no internet, leaking roof, one janitor, super security team, teaches kids about the first gen 5.7 Cummins, all around they are more worried about how much money is being made off the school and their own jobs that they forgot that they are teaching and preparing the future of the industry.... thank you and I’ll just walk down to the front office so you can talk to me right?
When the brothers run it goes up to 5 stars. You Should be ashamed HR lady total joke. I feel sorry for some of the people that have to take it day in day out. No credibility
The classes and teachers are knowledgeable. The financial staff and Collegiate Housing Services are a disorganized mess and the job placement service is a joke.
This school is an absolute waste of time and money I took the one year welding program here which at first seemed very promising but unfortunately most of the good things they tell you about the program is a lie our second half of the year out class unfortunately got the instructor Bruce Mclntyre who taught absolutely nothing I cannot say I learned a single thing during my last six months at this school he did not follow curriculum at all and we did not learn most of the things I was told we would before enrolling in this school most of the equipment in the shop is in very poor shape and the welding department head only seems focused on saving the school money rather than helping the students learn I definitely would not recommend this school to anyone I learned more from YouTube while I was here
Great college! Plenty of hands on work. Friendly staff and helpful instructors. Will be sad to leave in a few months. Glad I chose OTC!
I had a good experience at Ohio Tech - gotta put in the effort to get the most out of the program and they dont put up with much crap from students but thats a good thing - i found that the most of the ones complaining didnt want to follow the rules and didnt really try - they prepared me for my job in the industry and would recommend it to anyone who asks
Teacher are racist. They lose work and the financial aid department is filled with bubbled headed fools. I just graduated from this school and I would never recommend this school to anyone.
Great place to go for a nephews graduation ceremony.5 stars!
Great college with people who care, many great mechanics have come from here. It’s the last place I found that allows hands on learning and preparing you for the real world!.
This school is just horrible they dont care about you just your money and they think sending you home is a punishment trust me its nit i rather be be going home then be there
Collegiate Housing Services are a disorganized mess son had to move two times in a month all because they couldnt find more people to move in the one apartment and i wish the job placement would help them find jobs where they are from
School sucks. Waste of time. My car was broken into in their so called safe and gated parking lot. Stay away from this school!!!
I have learned so much at OTC. I have been in the Business for over 25 years and make tons of money. You must put your time in to see the fruits of your efforts.
I talked to them, I’m not in this school and I’m not planning to go to this school, they want you to show up at 7am and stay till 1pm they don’t offer night classes, how a student supposed to work if your job starts at 7am and finish at 5pm
Dont ruin your life going there go to real college, you can lean same thing by working at any car shop, dont waste time or money.
Its an ok school but its constantly tight on money and the buildings are falling apart
Worth every penny
Not impressed with this school at all thinking that I have wasted my money sending my son here and I repeat if u do decide to go to this mistake on the lake do not get involved with the housing biggest rip off !!!!!
Would never recommend anyone to ever go here, the school could care less if I had a job when I graduated, the school is run down and could care less about thier students.
Financial department sucks!!!!! Not any help for loans or anything good. Takes four damn days for them to call you back!!! If they call u back that is
This school is a dam joke nothing but lies to me not worth the money and definitely not the greatest school
Need to work on their financial aid dept. customer services, and the the veterans assistance dept. needs a serious changes
Terrible school I wouldnt recommend to anybody. I wasted a lot of time and money because of this school.
I think its the best trade college Ive know, I love it
Everything aint perfect but they got something going on here
The Staff is always very helpful. Great place to get an education
If you want to get scammed go here
If I could give this school negative stars, I would.
My son goes there, loves it.
Awesome vehicle of education!!!
June 27,2014 graduate.
HUGE WASTE OF MONEYGO TO TRI-C
Good material to learn
I love the environment
Waste of money and time.
Wrong number
Tech school
Total reviews rating 3.3
117 Reviews for Ohio Technical College 2023:
Review №1
2022-03-15Great people but, they take awhile to get back to you. I also paid for classes that my son didnt do!! ( Never got to be hands on in Electrical, which was crucial to his career!( Restoration of Classic cars & now having a hard time finding a job in his field due to this!))Otherwise, he got a good education and knows his stuff.
Review №2
2022-05-16The instructions are very knowledgeable. The school management is lacking on professionalism and organization. The ethical standards of management are very questionable. I am a retired Army Officer and I know about leadership. The school hired a Sr. Manager the doesnt have the background needed to fix a school of this size. I would not recommend this school at this point.
Review №3
2021-03-22My son attends Ohio Technical College and we have had a great experience with them. We attended an open house before he enrolled and were very impressed. During enrollment we worked with Nader Hassen in admissions and he was always available to answer any questions that we had. OTC definitely goes to a lot of effort to provide parents and students with the resources that they need, and you dont feel like you get lost in the shuffle. I can honestly say that every time I have reached out to them someone gets back to me with an answer in less than 24 hours. My son is now moving onto the Power Generator Program and Nader reached out again and to help us through the process. Almost 2 years after our initial visit and it was really great to be dealing with the same person know that he cares so much about making sure everything goes smoothly. Also, as a parent who is about 11 hours away from the school, it is very comforting to know that the staff at OTC is so attentive. I have nothing but good things to say about the people that I have dealt with there - Cora, Taylor, Nader, Sarah, Bonnie (I hope Im not forgetting anyone).As for the housing - it is through Collegiate Housing and not technically Ohio Technical College, although OTC does facilitate the housing. The folks at housing are very helpful (Marie and Carly) and also very responsive. The apartments are not the greatest from our experience, but we arent familiar with the area so it was easier than trying to shop for an apartment on our own.
Review №4
2022-02-04I am an automotive student currently set to graduate in March 2022, and was asked to give a review of my experience. I have read a lot of the negative comments on here and it seems as though most of them are either due to lack of motivation, bad luck, or how the college was run 5+ years ago. On the other hand I’m not here to praise OTC either, but rather give an honest review about my own experience in order to help those who are really considering attending OTC. Not all of the equipment is brand new, and yes you learn some things that you may never need to know in a real shop setting, but it is these things that help form the foundation for what you learn later on in each of your modules. Each module(6 weeks long) covered a different topic of my training, and each instructor taught in a different way. I connected better with some instructors than others, but they all are VERY willing to put in the extra time to help you succeed. It is your responsibility as an adult in college to seek that help and utilize them to your advantage. If it seems like they don’t know something then speak up and challenge them by asking questions, don’t complain that they never taught you anything. The staff at OTC are all very friendly as well (or at least the staff I talked to), and the people who run the Matco store and clothing shop are also very extroverted when it comes to the students. I was skeptical at first about buying a lot of tools and accumulating debt, but I asked questions and got everything figured out and now Im glad I did! YOU control your career and no one else. I am currently set to have a full time career ready for me the Monday after I graduate because I used the career fair that OTC provided in order to talk to a wide variety of employers to see what I liked the best. OTC DOES NOT HAND YOU A CAREER, they give you the tools, knowledge, and opportunity for you to use in order for YOU to go out and get YOUR career. I was fortunate to surround myself with great friends who have applied what they learned at OTC, and are now master ASE technicians in the field. To say OTC is a waste of time is irresponsible because you are the one showing up to learn so use your time wisely. The area may not be the nicest, and the housing isn’t too great either, but for what you pay it is well worth the 18 months. If you don’t trust me, talk to other people and get all the details in order to make a plan and budget wisely. Lastly a huge shoutout to Taylor and Nader who helped me every step of the way when trying to apply to OTC, you guys were a huge help and made the process go very smooth on my end.
Review №5
2021-10-06Every college is going to appeal to everyone differently. If you dont want to put in the work then this college probably wont be a good fit. Show up up everyday and on time and put in 100% and I promise you the school will give you back 150%! Nader and the front office were very helpful and it was nice to hear from him all throughout my training. I graduated with a job lined up and I cant thank OTC and all the instructors who helped me along the way. I have been seeing a lot of improvements on campus and construction being done with the roofs and almost complete 180 from when I first started. YOU WILL GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN so if you are looking to start job in a high demand trade, then I would inquire or check out the campus
Review №6
2021-07-13First and foremost I would like to thank everyone at this school who has changed my life. Through Covid and many obstacles I was able to graduate and land my dream job! Nader was a HUGE help and went above and beyond to help me from day 1 up until I graduated. He was even there to help out with personal matters which in my opinion shows a lot about how much the college does care about your success and personal well being. If you come in with a positive attitude and the willingness to learn you will do great at the college. There have been a lot of renovations going on all over the campus during the end of my training so I am excited to come back and visit as an alumni one day to see the new OTC! At the end of the day you get out of the program what you put in, which is what Nader told me from the first day we met. That is also how everything in life works. I would recommend checking out the campus or speaking to Nader to see if the college or one of the programs would be a good fit! Thanks OTC!!!
Review №7
2021-03-21I have nothing but accolades for OTC and the staff that makes this school unique. My son is graduating from the Diesel program, with a job waiting for him and fantastic training under his belt. Staff made themselves available for guidance, mentoring and any direction along the way. Nader Hassen was exceptional in offering help with scholarships, professional leadership, as well as some cheerleader. Fantastic experience all around. My son is confident and ready to begin his career.
Review №8
2021-03-31My son, nephew and husband and myself had an amazing tour at Ohio tech. We were well informed about the program and what it takes to be successful at Ohio tech. The staff was thorough and well educated about the programs offered at Ohio tech. Both my son and nephew will be attending the welding program in the fall. Overall, we all had an amazing experience
Review №9
2021-10-15This school is horrible! They only care about your money and after you graduate or pay off your loan they will overdraft your account and NEVER give you the money back. My husband and I have tried for months to get his money back and they always send us on a wild goose chase of phone calls between them and the loan company or they lie and say they sent a check and it’s on the way, but it never arrives. Don’t go to school here. They will only rob you
Review №10
2021-03-17I have nothing but praise for this college. Ohio Technical College has provided outstanding training for my son. He’s goal is to work in the custom painting field, which is offered at OTC. He shares his learning with such excitement and confidence that I never saw in HS. I highly recommend OTC to anyone looking to get excellent automotive training. Nadar, in administrative office walked us through the process the application. He answered any questions in a timely manner and has always gave us ( parents) a since of comfort leaving our son in Cleveland to attend OTC. At minimum check out there website for an overview, I’m sure you’ll find it informative.