Lift truck maintenance and repair is one of those job skills that are best learned by doing, not by reading a manual or viewing PowerPoint slides.

To that end, Crown Equipment Corp. has announced that it will be providing material handling equipment to be used as training aids for students at the Universal Technical Institute Inc. UTI provides post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle, and marine technicians.

Under the agreement, New Bremen, Ohio-based Crown will provide forklifts, work assist vehicles, and pallet trucks to all 12 UTI campuses across the country.

Many UTI graduates have landed jobs as service technicians at Crown over the years, and the new collaboration will enhance that link by providing students with the latest training aids and material handling equipment, said Chuck Barresi, UTI's senior vice president of customer solutions.