Hennessey Tuning School

Tuner School - The world's first school dedicated to teaching and training future performance vehicle tuners.

Fundamental skills taught will include:

Chassis Dyno Operation
Air/Fuel Calibration
Turbo Systems
Supercharger Systems
Nitrous Systems
Engine Management Tuning (SCT, AEM)
Brake Systems
Suspensions (Street, Drag & Road Race)
Drag Racing
Road Racing
Alignments & Corner Weighting
Safety Equipment
Fuel Systems
Cylinder Heads, Cams & Valvetrain
Manual Transmissions
Auto Transmissions
Speed Measurements / Telemetry
Racer Math
Basic Fabrication
Exhaust & Header Systems
Tools & Equipment
Parts & Vendors
Engine Dyno

Our mission is simple: Equip our students with the fundamentals skills and knowledge such that they would be an asset to any tuning company in the world!


Class size is limited to just 20 students (most classes have 12 to 16 students).
Student to instructor ratio is 10:1.
Tuner School is a 14 week program consisting of combined classroom, workshop and race track instruction and hands-on experience.
Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Why was Tuner School founded?
For the last 10 years, John Hennessey has received thousands of emails from performance enthusiasts from around the world asking the question: Where can I go to learn how to modify cars? And the answer was clear that there just wasn't a place where people could go and learn the fundamental's of auto performance tuning. Simply put, the people in the industry who knew how to modify cars either taught themselves or learned by working around others who had the know how. The problem with being self taught is that it’s a long and expensive process of trial and error. And for those who learned from others, it took a long time to gain the knowledge and skills.

Hennessey also saw the need to find qualified technicians for Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) as it continued to grow. Finding help with the right skill level and work ethic was hard at times. The only other option was taking in young apprentices and training them. The problem with this idea is that in order to train someone that means that one of the techs in the shop would be doing training rather than working on production or R&D projects.

One day Hennessey just thought he would start a school dedicated to training enthusiasts with the fundamental skills needed to work in his shop. Thus began Tuner School.

How much does Tuner School cost?
$14,500

Is financial aid available for Tuner School?
No. Not at this time. Tuner School is a private school and is currently not set-up to accept any types of government loans, grants, GI bill, etc.

What are my housing options while I attend Tuner School?
Tuner School is located about 35 minutes west of Katy, Texas - a suburb of Houston. There are lots of housing options in the Katy area including apartments as well as extended-stay motels, etc.

Can I visit Tuner School to see the campus and school environment?
Yes, Tuner School has an open house once every month. You can also call and make an appointment to come see our facility by calling 979.885.1300. Ask for Bob Robertson or Jennifer Zastrow.

Do I get any kind of certification when I graduate from Tuner School?
Yes, all students who successfully complete Tuner School will receive a certificate of completion stating areas of competency (shows a future employer what you are able to do!).

Is Tuner School an accredited school?
No and yes. Tuner School is unique and the only the school of its kind in the world. So in the academic world, it’s still too new to be accredited by any kind of educational bureaucracy. However, we are accredited by Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE), one of the leading automotive tuning firms in the world.

Will there be any opportunities for me to work while I go to school?
Absolutely! We encourage all of our students to work in an automotive related field while they attend Tuner School. Students will be given a list of auto related firms in the Sealy, Katy and West Houston areas that they may contact and apply for work. These firms also include Hennessey Performance Engineering and Lonestar Motorsports Park.

Will Tuner School offer any advanced classes?
Yes, we plan to offer advanced classes in Tuner Fabrication, Computer Tuning and Tuner Entrepreneurship (owning and operating your own tuning shop).

Who will hire me when I graduate? Where would I work?
The automotive aftermarket is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are thousands of auto related companies around the world who install, develop, distribute, engineer, market and tune a wide variety of products and services to enthusiasts of all walks of life. Visit SEMA.org to find out who some of these companies are!

Will Tuner School help me get a job after graduation?
Tuner School will equip you with the fundamental tuning skills that will help you start your career in the automotive aftermarket. We will also help you prepare a resume and guide you on how to present yourself as a confident and professional tuner. Also, from time to time, we may have job fairs where potential employers will come to the Tuner School campus to interview potential job candidates. Ultimately, you the student and future tuner are in control of your future job opportunities. And Tuner School will seek to help you maximize your skill level and who the industry operates so that you can find the job that best meets your goals.

What do Tuner Technicians get paid in the industry?
It depends on what you are able to do for your employer. The more value you can add to a company the more you will likely make. Some entry level positions may pay in the $20-30k per year range. Seasoned techs can make in the $40-60k per year range. Top earners can make $80k per year or more depending on their area of specialization and markets where they serve. The more you know how to do and the more efficient you are in making your employer successful and profitable, the more money you will make. It's that simple.

What are the requirements to attend Tuner School?
At a minimum, we require a high school diploma or GED. However, Tuner School does not accept everyone who applies. We are seeking people with a passion of high performance vehicles who have good character and who want to be successful in the automotive aftermarket industry.

How do I apply?
Request an application from Tuner School, fill it out and send it in. After we review your application we will contact you within one week.

If I am accepted to Tuner School, then what's next?
You will pick the starting date for the class you would like to attend. To secure your reservation for your class we will require a $2,500 tuition payment. After receiving your initial payment, Tuner School will send you a packet with key dates, housing options, class outline and other important information. Tuner School requires that your tuition be paid in full 90 days prior to beginning your class. For example, if you are starting class in September, 2008, then your tuition is due by June 1, 2008.

What forms of payment are accepted?
We accept checks (business or personal), most major credit cards as well as bank wire transfers.

Can I get a job at Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) after I graduate?
HPE will be extending a job offer to one of the graduates of the first class that will graduate in December, 2008.

Do I need to have any special knowledge or skills to attend Tuner School?
No. All you need is a desire to learn and a passion for performance, cars, racing, etc. Who are the teachers? Are they accredited or professional instructors? The instructors at Tuner School are actual performance tuning technicians who modify cars for their living. They ARE NOT professional teachers. We want our students to learn from those who have been successfully modifying cars for a long time. Book knowledge is great, but we are all about performance in the real world. Your ability to get a good job and succeed in this industry is directly tied to what you are able to do, perform for your employer. Regurgitating book answers won’t cut it in the real world. You have to be able to take a work assignment and have the skills and confidence to perform the work from start to finish with great attention to detail. This is the HIGH PERFORMANCE automotive industry. And to be a successful part of it, you need to be able to efficiently perform for your employer and ultimately your employer's clients who are seeking improved performance for their vehicle.

Does everyone who attends Tuner School graduate?
We hope so, but just because you paid your tuition does not guarantee you will graduate. All students must maintain a 80% attendance record and be able to successfully perform all of the basic skills taught in order to graduate. Again, book answers won’t cut it. You will have to be able to perform. And to learn these skills you have to attend class and participate.

What makes Tuner School different from other auto tech programs such as UTI, Wyotech, etc?
The list is long. But here are a few differences:

· Tuner School operate at a race track which is part of the learning environment.

· Tuner School's class size is smaller and more intimate.

· Tuner School was founded by one of the leading automotive aftermarket firms in the world, Hennessey Performance Engineering.

· Other tech schools are large operations that are more like college campuses with thousands of students going in and out all year round. Tuner School is more like an apprentice program.

· Tuner School does not take government money and thus set's its own teaching agenda on what we feel is the most relevant information and skills training that students need to succeed.

· Tuner School is all about high-performance auto technology, skills and systems.

· Tuner School graduates will be part of an elite group of alumni who go out into the industry.

· Tuner School will operate and conduct itself in a Christian environment where students will be encouraged that integrity, character and professional conduct are just as important to their ultimate success as their tuning skills are.

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