Your Futue in Electronics – Side 1 (download)
Your Future in Electronics – Side 2 (download)
This is one record out of a set of two that were distributed to potential students of the United Electronics Institute. From what I can tell, this was a predecessor of Devry or ITT and specialized in providing training for “Careers of the Future!” Set on top of a repeating patriotic tune, we learn that students graduating from UEI can make up to $269 a WEEK! And even have jobs working with television broadcasting or in space! There is a roll call of companies that graduates have gone on to work for, and the narrator gets really excited towards the end. Side two describes the program in greater detail with such selling points as “a program presented in logical order” with 1,900 hours of practical instruction. I don’t want to give away all the good parts. This record is a gem.
(Sorry for poor sound on this one, its an oldie.)
STAYED TUNED FOR YOUR FUTURE IN ELECTRONICS PART 2!!
The M P M 
I wasn’t able to hear the playback, the buffer just kept trying to load without any results.
I graduated from United Electronics Institute in 1968 in Louisville, Ky. The complete address would have been 3947 Park Drive. The building has long been torn down and is noew a parking lot. A building they put in 1966 for classrooms was across the back of the parking lot, and is now a cheap office building, and is the only building left. The school started off in the 1940’s as United Television Laboratories aimed at TV repair following the WWII boom. later in the 50’s they changed name to United Electronics Laboratories, and by the early 60’s became United Electronics Institute.
By the mid 60’s the enrollment in the Louisville school was around 2,500. Pretty much anyone could get in, and it was a easy way to stay out the draft, so the thinking went. That was reflected by an aproximate 10% graduation rate, which would not survive governemnt scrutiny nowadays.
The enrollemnt success was enough to spawn a national or regional chain of UEI schools, and they made some serious money doing it. The 2 year program ran around $2000 for the duration which doesn’t sound like much today, but an average salary back then was around $6,000 per year. By comparison top universities weren’t charging that much.
They survived fairly well up until the 80’s or so, but enrollments dropped badly, the same as other tech schools at the time, and they wound up offereing medical office and secretarial programs to meet the bills. ITT bought them out eventually, but the programs had slipped so much that their curriclum was outdated and scrapped by the new owners.
In the beginning they were an innovative company and in the late 40’s and 50’s would actually help graduates set up repair shops with loans and equipment packages. Not bad for a lowly voc-ed school.
I can’t tell what year the record was put out as I’ve never seen it before, but guessing by the absence of a zip code, it must be pre-1964. From the pay suggested by the record, I’m going to guess that it came out in the early to mid 1960’s as that would have been decent money in the early 60’s when minimum wage was $1.25/hr and they’re suggesting around $5.45/hr.
Thanks for the great information Robert! I am sorry I am having trouble with my streaming. I will e-mail the MP3s of this record to you, and maybe you can give us some more information. Thanks again!
I am a ’69 grad. I’d like to hear the recouring too. I tried to play it and downoad it. No sound. My Windows media player shows its paying the downloaded file by showing the little VU meter but no sound. If you see this post and will e-mail me the file in an attachment
Thanks,
ron
I would love to have a copy of this! UEI, Charleston ’77-’79.
Hi, I too was a student at UEI between 1966 and 1968 (graduated August ’68). Also a friend of Robert Wallis. I couldn’t get the record file to download either.
Bob pretty much summed up the experience at UEI, it was a well run school, at least at that time. Rather heavy on vacuum tube technology and very little on solid state.
Early on, around 1960, the school actually had a UHF television station on campus, channel 32. The students ran board, film chain and did some live telecasting for a while till the station was sold and became the ABC affiliate in Louisville, WLKY. They moved out all the equipment prior to 1966 when I started, but in 1967 they tore down the tower, I still have an insulator from the helix antenna array that broke all to hell when they let it crash down. Hope to see more comments from students of that bygone era.
I too attended UEI from 1964-1966. Graduated in August of 1966 and went to the Navy in October of 1966. Six of us shared a dorm room on Crums Lane with a swimming pool in the parking lot of the dorms. Some classes were held there. I had an afternoon class. Chuck Thompson was my last instructor, started out with a guy named Murdock. Capt. Van was able to keep me out of the Army and Navy three times while I was there. Had alot of good times in Louisville and have kept in touch with some of my classmates.
Mr. Heck, I had Mr. Murdock too. Tennessee and Oklahoma implamented a selective service provision for draft exemption stating that college full time students must carry a minimum of 16 hours load and Vocational education must carry 25 hours. you were 2-3 years before me but by ’67 morning classes were 8am-12noon and afernoon classes were 1pm-5? (I had morning) Provisions were made by UEI for 1 hour 12 noon- 1pm for TN and OK students. Mr Murdock was rhat instructor, over the dorms you lived at. I Gained a job way down Dixie Hwy @ Kroger, living up by churchill downs and having no transportation Mr. Murdock graciously took pitty on this fat ol’ countryboy and sold me his unused 55 plymouth for $20.00 What a God send he was to me. He left KY when UEI opened a branch in littlerock.
I graduated from the Little Rock UEI in their first graduating class. Russell Murdock was the Academic Director. In 1975, I was hired as an instructor at UEI by Mr. Murdock and he later promoted me to become the Academic Director of the night school (1977). During my tenure, UEI changed the name to Arkansas College of Technology. Russell Murdock left UEI and began building houses in Cabot, AR where he resides today. Last I knew his home number was 501.843.7908
JET, ANXIOUS TO NERE FROM YOU. PHONE 765-520-5978
I too am a graduate of UEL. I took the home correspondence course and then traveled from Texas to KY for two weeks at the school in Louisville for graduation in 1960. I still have the oscilloscope I built as part of the course.
Pics at:
Can’t remember the name of the place I stayed, but it was above a restaurant, the owner had rooms to rent for UEL students.
Class # DM 150 (Des Moines ,Ia) Any grads still around ? email me
I went to West Des Moines, graduated 1971. Do you know of any way to get transcripts from our time there?
Roger
DM 110 65-67 Money well spent for the basics, stayed with me forever. Found two classmates.
Hello, My name is Johnny Upton. I went to United Electronics in Birmingham Alabama (UELA) 1967-1969. Graduated March 15 I had job interviews, and offered four jobs. I elected to go with Department of The Navy.Where I repaired and calibrated aircraft insturments.I worked there one year,when I decided to go to work with Geophicial Services ,where I ran the insturments for about six years.I traveled and worked all over the US and the Gulf of Mexico.Wanting to go back home I went to work for a oil field co.for eleven years.Now I owne an Amuserment Co.where I work on video games juke boxes and pool tables.Thankes to UELA I have had a great life and made lots of money.I will never forget those days in school.
I went to UEI from 1979 to 1981. I left Louisville 23 years ago . On a recent trip back, I saw that the building was gone. Kind of sad. It was a good group of people.
Also, forgot to add, when I graduated in 1981 the name of the school was changing to Kentucky College of Technology.
I attended UEI from “\July ’67- Nov.’69. (flunked phase ll the first time, playin’ around) When I mentioned to my folks in Feb ’67 I was joining the service upon graduation, A guy showed up and said if I could pass the entrance exam I coud go to Electronics school. Wel l, I could add 2+2 and coud identify a pair of piers, a screwdriver, and an end wrench, so if the money was availabe I was in. They foud me several places to live, 1000 Central, a block from Churchill downs, got me jobs and allowed me to learn to be self-sufficient (kinda). I am greatful for the “education” I recieved. It was a springboard for carreer in industrial electronics. My dipoma got me in the door at an aircraft company where I learned CNC closed oop servo machine repair. Allowed me to make enough “extra” money to invest and retire @ 48. Now at 60 I feel fortunate to have parents and a UEI salesman in my past. UEI had a difficult time with the transition from vaccuum tubes to solid state I feel because they just coudn’t keep up with the speed of changing electronics. Now-a-days, can anyone? PCs are 4-7 yrs obsolete before they are even off the drawing boards. Imagine keeping a printing schedule for text books.
Hey to any Okie grads. Remember me. I graduated in ’71, was drafted, join the NAVY and went on to work for U S GOV, FAA. Made a career here in Central Nebraska. That electronics training sure took me a long way. I think I was in the 1st or 2nd class to graduate. Didn’t provide any guaranteed student loans until close to graduation. Tough working part time and going to classes. There were some classes combined and just about everyone was from OK, TX, or KS. While training at FAA Academy, OKC in the 80s went to find the place. Long since closed. And I do have this same record some place including one Blue Jackets on parade from Navy bootcamp. Boy has technology changed.
I attended UEI in Louisville from 73-75 but transfered to Dallas, Tx branch after marrying one of the two girls who attended there. She got a job at TI Dallas, TX so I finished in Dallas. I was in the “Lamda Tau Delta” fraternity in Louisville before the school kicked us out of the Frat house which was next to classrooms. Too many parties…
Any other Fraternity brother out there?
I graduated from UEI in Little Rock in 1976. Ate many a prefabbed sandwich from their snack machines. Never forget the taste of the cheeseburger. Mr Murdock was running the school then. I had Mr. Mann and Mr. Spencer as instructors. Mr. Bill King would sub from time to time. Any one know if any of these men are still living? Also, I took and passed a CET certification while there, but cannot find anything about this organization now. ?.
Still have my meter, o’scope and radio.
In 1975, I was hired as an instructor at UEI by Mr. Murdock and he later promoted me to become the Academic Director of the night school (1977). During my tenure, UEI changed the name to Arkansas College of Technology. Russell Murdock left UEI and began building houses in Cabot, AR where he resides today. Last I knew his home number was 501.843.7908
I believe, according to Lois Goza (501.562.16450), that King, Key, Head, and Spencer are all passed. I have no idea about Frank Mann.
ANOTHER Larry Elliott…UEI (West Virginia College of Technology) class of ’79.
Does anyone know the address and phone number of the old UEI on Dixie Hwy in Shivley, Ky. I graduated there in 1981 and it know longer exist. I’m applying for a job and the online app. requires it… HELP
The campus at Shively closed in 1986 when it moved to Fern Valley Rd. The name also changed to Kentucky College of Technology – National Education Center. I started out as an Electronics Instructor at the Shively campus in 1985 and was the Education Director until it closed it’s doors in the late 1990’s.
U.E.I. student transcripts / records for the Louisville campus are in storage at a location in Independence, Ky. Contact Vicki McKiddy by e-mail : vicki.mckiddy@cengage.com phone#859-525-5351
Anybody seeking to get records for UEI or KCT, Louisville Campus can try these:
United Electronics Institute and United Electronics Institute, Louisville Campus
Kentucky State Board for Proprietary Education
P.O. Box 1360
Frankfort KY 40602
Fax request to: (502)564-4818
Contact: Barbara Rucker at (502)564-3296, ext. 225
Kentucky College of Technology – National Education Center, Louisville Campus
Thomson Distribution Center
10650 Toebben Drive
Independence, KY 41051
(859) 525-2230 x 5389
Thanks, Mario.
As a former student, instructor, and night academic director at Little Rock, my search for Little Rock records has been fruitless. I left UEI (then ACT) in 1979. At that time, Russell Murdoch, Frank Mann, and Tom Spencer had all been academic directors. I left as a result of the placement director, Lois Goza, being dismissed by Lewis Prather. Lewis was the head of the recruiting team in Arkansas and had somehow gained the leadership position at the school. In discussions with both Lois Goza and Russell Murdoch I have been unable to determine what happened to all the training records for Little Rock.
I know that for a period of time the records were maintained in Louisville, any chance they were stored with the Louisville records?
The website link is to a picture and description of the UEI model 301 oscilloscope. The scope was built as part of a United Electronics Institute course. Does anyone have a schematic of that scope or lesson material that included the scope? Thanks, Rich
Many thanks to Bob P who answered my request for a schematic of the UEL 301 scope with not only the schematic but also the complete course lesson covering the scope’s construction.
Rich
I went to UEI in OKC OK; from 1978-1980, or there about. I graduated; I think because they sent me to a job Zeno Systems, which I took and stayed at for 5 years. As I recall the Company paid for the last 6 months of my training. I had a wife and 3 kids, so I did not stay in any dorms; I lived at home with my family. I left the originally company and went into computers and have been their since. But today I do not use much of the electronic training from back then. I found this site because I was looking for records to fill in the blanks and to see what I was originally trained at.
Class of 1971-1973
Those were the good old days.
Married with a little one, working two jobs and going to school at UEI all at the same time….phew…thank god I don’t have to do that now.
Had a good time though. Anybody remember an Instructor named Mr. Sipes?
I remember Mr. Sipes.
I wish I could get my hands on the transcripts.
Chas
I sure do because I was in your class…
graduated in the fall of 1967 at Louisville,KY Mr. Thompson was my first instructor, I
early morning mores code classes before the normal UEI instruction. While I didn’t finish up at that time with my Ham Radio license, it did come later. I can’t recall his call sign… sure would like to know.
What about the Lamba Tau Delta fraternity at UEI?
I think my class number was RM-203 at the end.
I found this site searching for UELA Birmingham records or a trail.
I graduated in 1966 and lost my records years ago.
Like lot’s of other folks I worked almost full time at min wage and pretty much depended on tips to eat.
Boy was that no fun at 18!
But it got me 6 or 8 job offers and I transition to a long career with computers at good pay.
Like other pack rats, I still have the oscope and radio but smoked the meter years ago 😦
Some of the instructor names I remember were Bullock and Etienne.
If anyone knows where the Ala records trail might lead let me know.
thanks
I remember bullock when I was there in 1970.
I also attended the UELA in Birmingham Al. graduated in June 1966 my class was MB119 and the Etienne name sound farmilliar. I think he may have been my first instructor. My final instructor may have been Bullock, just can not remember. I have also been looking for information around the school records. E-mail me and I will let you know if I locate anything.
Edwin
I went to UEI in Birmingham Ala. from 1970-1972. I went to work for Honeywell in Washington DC. from there I went to work for GE. then to Sentara Norfolk Generag and Sentara Leigh hospitals in southeastern Virginia.
Hi,
I attended from 1962-1966. Really enjoyed the classes. Went on to Aerojet General to develop engines. Left and went to 3M for many years . If anyone from the 62 class remembers me. Please contact me at 770-995-8716. I made the toilet seats explode all those years ago…..
I graduated from UEI, Louisville, in 1968, went to work for Hoffman in Orleans, IN., TV mfg. 2 years later I began teaching electronics at a voc. school in Ashland then went to PNC Bank in Louisville and managed their computer repair for 30 years then retired in 2008. UEI was a great help and worth every penny!
73 N4LQ
Graduated UEI, Louisville in 1973. Just looking to get in contact with some old friends
A Facebook group for United Electronics Alumni has been created. Please pay a vist!
I graduated in Louisville in June 1963. I did the home course followed by four weeks of testing on site in Louisville. I still have all of the lesson materials, vom, vacuum tube vom but do not have the oscilloscope. I did the five inch update on it and the performance was so bad that I never used it any more. It is sad to learn that the school did not survive the rapid change of technology. I went to work for McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis after graduation, earned Bachelor and Master degrees at night, and retired early as Director of Quality for Boeing in St. Louis. So the school was a definite plus for me.
Fantastic Site!
I am trying to get official transcripts from my short time at UEI Akron OH. Akron supposedly had a fire in 1977 destroying the records, however I do have an unofficial transcript that is rubber stamped from Louisville so I am holding out hope that Vicki at Commission for Independent Education can locate these.
I was quite impressed by UEI during my courses. The instructors and management were very friendly, committed and competent. It was a lot of tube stuff at the time (so its a triode not a transistor!), but I learned enough theory to pursue a highly paid career. I wished I had kept the VOM and GDO, I built during that time but they wore out many years later! I also built a scope, but used the tiny Millen scope module rather than the kit.
Akron must have had the same snack vendor. I too remember the taste!
” Larry Elliott // December 7, 2009 at 2:40 pm | Reply
I graduated from UEI in Little Rock in 1976. Ate many a prefabbed sandwich from their snack machines. Never forget the taste of the cheeseburger.”
I went to the Charleston, West Virginia location and graduated in 1981. I am thinking about going back to school (part of my “empty nest” bucket list). Does anyone know how to get records from what was then the West Virginia College of Technology?
UEI – 1966 thru August 1968 – RM-243 (I believe) – Louisville, Ky.
Worked at Stewarts Day Goods cleaning carpets to pay tuition and
living expenses. Tuition was $18.75. Hired by TI and moved to Texas in
1968 and stayed. I taught at Dallas UEI full and part-time 1970 – 1979. I worked for Bruce Warburton at Dallas UEI. I’m on Facebook. My UEI techicnal education has served me well. I’m still working as a staff engineer for Citadel Media (radio network) in Dallas.
I attended UEI in Dallas, TX 73 -75, any chance you might know where the schools transcript are kept?
I attended UEI in Louisville 1964-1966. Bruce Warburton was my first instructor there. Although behind the times (what were transistors?) the education served me well. We could choose our company in those days- had a dozen come to interview then. I chose GE, when they were building mainframe computers. There was a succession of sell-offs and company name changes, but I stayed in the mainframe computer business for 30 years, then moved to the computer networking field for 15 more. Never got rich, but it got me off to a solid start, and I never missed a day’s pay.
I graduated from UEI Kansas City campus in 1974. Was hired by RCA on missle tracking ships then unmanned aerostat in Cudjoe Key fl. and so on and so on evientially the arm of RCA was sold to GE then sold to Martin Merriata then to Lockheed Martin which is where I still am. 34 years. Wow was that at good $5000 investment at UEI. I hope someother Kansas City grads respond.
North Kansas City I would assume,,,,, lol
I attended UEI from sept 1970 to aug 1972 in Oklahoma City. I went to class in the afternoons. Stayed part of the time at Capitol Arms apartments across the street. Worked part time in the mornings or at night and studied or tried to in the afternoon. I remember an Instructor named Holcomb, I think. He was an American Indian. Another instructor was from Alabama and was hard to understand sometimes, his drawl was so thick, but a good instructor. It was all mostly tube stuff then, and they had some administrative problems. I was glad to get out of there, though it beat going to Viet Nam. Went to work for RCA, and Then Southwestern Bell. Stayed at Bell for 32 years. Sure beat minimum wage!
We didn’t build anything but a cheapo little solid state radio with I think one transistor. I think they were suffering from the bad economy at the time. I know I was. (Remember when Nixon froze everybody’s wages? Cut me out of a nickel raise.) I did receive the UEI VOM. I still have it, and it still works.
I also remember the rubber sandwiches. I usually had to eat a cheese gob sandwich, I couldn’t afford the cheeseburger. Oh well, I lived. Good luck to everybody that survived.
Interesting finding this page. I use to teach at UEI in Cuyahoga Falls (Akron) ohio from 1969 – 1973 after returning from the military. From that point on, I continued more into the computer industry both software and hardware until recent retirement. I worked for several large companies and then went primarily into self-employed consulting mode in the computer industry. Remembered the classes getting smaller due to the military exemption being removed and fewer individuals signing up. I do remember having many ex-military coming and using their GI Bill to take the courses.
Regards, to all
Reid Bristor, W4UPD (Ex. WA8DKD and WA4UPD).
I graduated form UEI in Jan. 1965 in Louisville class rm150. I stayed in the dorms on Crums Ln. and worked at Kroger in back of the Dorms. I was recruited by Western Elictric Co. in Jan. of 65 and just retired after 45 years from Alcatel-Lucent technologies same company just a few name changes.
UEI was good to me and gave me a very good career with good pay and benifits.
I graduated from the first 1970 class of UEI in North Kansas City, Missouri. The record played great and brought back memories,,, The question I have is I thought we recieved an associates degree in electronics? Anyone know about that>
Mr. Bratcher, when I graduated in 1966, you received a diploma. As far as I know, the school at that time did not offer the other courses required to qualify you for an Associates Degree.
I graduated from UEI in 1973 at the Dallas campus. I have worked in the field ever since. I remember fondly my days at UEI, and my favorite instructor G.W. Priester. I have not run into any of my classmates in many years. I did receive an AA degree there. I have the transcripts from school, but years ago my diploma was ruined — signed by Mr. O.S. Hammer himself.
I remember a similar if not the same record being played at my High School. I have very little record of my time in school – diploma gone — class ring stolen when I was living in a boarding house – just out of school – just the transcript and memories.
Well that might explain why I can not find an associates degree from UEI… lol,,,, well
Started taking correspondence course in 1961 and transferred to UEI in Birmingham in 63 and 64. Instructor was James Magee. I had been working on radios and tv’s since 59. They were just starting to get into transistors and solid state so I dropped out and came back to my home state of Illinois and went to work at Caterpillar for 30 years. Still like to work on anything that has vacuum tubes in it and still use the vom I built at UEI. It was a good school.
I graduated from UEI in Birmingham, Al. in 1973. James Whitmore was
one of my instructors and I had another when our classes combined.
I can’t remember his name. I got a good job and have had good jobs all
my life. It was a good school.