Putting Industry in the Education Driver’s Seat

The more industry is involved in the education process, the more relevant and skilled the workforce becomes.

Growth in Utah’s tech community is certain, but where will skilled employees come from? Utah must produce enough employees to fill hundreds of new technology jobs each year. By 2024, it is expected that 14,040 people will be needed. Where will they come from? Universities will not be able to cover the need and that means exporting employees from other states, unless Utah is able to “grow” enough workers.

This is a problem that will not go away and will be compounded by the introduction of new enterprise to the area and the growth of existing technology companies here in Utah.

A common complaint from employers is that students come out of the University lacking the hands-on experience they need to be effective workers.

What if we could use a different model for educating these potential employees? What if students received their education “backwards”? What if education and industry collaborated to provide students the hands-on, technical skills that employers need? What if students learned technical skills first, continued to an externship at a local technology company and obtained employment before continuing to the University? Working under this model, students would, in a way, “apprentice” for their position.

GREAT NEWS! This model is already in place. The State of Utah’s College of Applied Technology (UCAT) system does just this. UCAT has 8 campuses regionally located throughout the State of Utah. Their mission is to meet the needs of Utah’s employers for technically-skilled workers and promote economic development by providing market-driven technical education. This mission is accomplished through competency-based education and training programs built with the input of industry.

INDUSTRY can drive the education system if they would invest in GROWING their own workforce. Here are three ways companies can invest:

1. Join an industry advisory committee and help to build current curriculum.

2. Host students in externships

3. Allow current technology employees the flexibility to teach a few classes while still being employed.

Obviously, the more industry is involved in the education process, the more relevant and skilled the workforce becomes. Industry knows what theory and skill they want their future employees to have. Why not help with education to make sure students and potential employees are prepared the way INDUSTRY expects?

In 2015, Mountainland Applied Technology College (MATC- a UCAT Campus) was given funding to develop a Web Programming & Development skill-based program that enabled students to be trained as entry-level web developers. This program has been successful in educating 4 cohorts of students, with the 5th cohort starting in August 2017.

The Web Programming and Development Program is successful because it was authored by current developers from industry and has the ability to quickly update curriculum and keep up with the fast rate of change in the industry. The program also guarantees the student an externship at a local technology company. This cements learning and provides mentoring from professionals working in the field. The majority of students have been placed with Xactware in Lehi, to date, but other employers have signed affiliation agreements and are starting to take students for externship.

Xactware’s role in collaborating with MATC has been invaluable. They send their best working developers to teach the classes at MATC and provide externship and employment opportunities for students. Xactware values education, has tuition reimbursement, and encourages students they hire to continue on to higher education while continuing to work for the company.

If you are a tech company that wants to GROW your own; if your tech company believes in investing in a skilled and trained workforce to meet the needs of Utah’s exploding technology environment-contact UCAT! Become part of the solution. Don’t wait for education to catch up to you! INDUSTRY can DRIVE education!