WyoTech, formerly known as Wyoming Technical Institute, is a system of US non profit colleges founded in Laramie, Wyoming in 1966 and currently owned by Zenith
Education Group. Zenith
Education is a division of Educational Credit
Management Corporation, a student loan debt collector. At its peak in the early 2000s, WyoTech had seven campuses offering degree and diploma programs in the fields of automotive, diesel, collision refinishing, motorcycle, marine technology, as well as construction trades. WyoTech also offered advanced training programs in applied service management; light duty diesel; advanced automotive diagnostics; street rod and custom fabrication; motorsports chassis fabrication; high performance power trains; and trim and upholstery technology.
Wyoming Technical Institute, Wyotech, was founded in 1966 as an automotive-themed school, offering programs in automotive repair. The first class in Laramie had 22 students, and its classes were housed in a 9000 square foot building. In 1969, WyoTech’s Laramie campus became accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, (ACCSC), formerly known as NATTS.
According to the National Center for
Education Statistics, approximately 17-24% of Wyotech students have defaulted on their student loans.
On June 8, 2015, the US Department of
Education announced that it was developing a process that would allow former students of Corinthian schools to apply for debt relief, if they believed they were victims of fraud. While the Department has still not created a formal process, they have provided the outlines of what borrowers should submit if they wish to pursue debt cancellation on the Federal Student Aid website. In addition, the advocacy group the Debt Collective has created its own, unofficial "Defense to Repayment App" that allows former students of Corinthian and other schools accused of fraud to pursue debt cancellation. The applications generated through the Debt Collectives online form was cited by the Department of
Education in a Federal Register notice, which said that "a need for a clearer process for potential claimants" arose due to the submission of over 1000 defense to repayment claims by "a building debt activism movement.
Last Updated on: Nov 26, 2024