This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah kids need tech skills. Utah school districts need tech support.
In a match funded by the state, the Millard School District will create a way for students in 11 districts to gain experience in information technology by helping with computer crashes and other electronic woes in their own schools.
The partnership is one of a dozen that will divide $2.1 million in state grants to develop a skilled workforce for Utah's leading industries.
The "Talent Ready Utah" grants are designed to bolster collaboration among industry, educational institutions and economic-development leaders to create "talent pipelines for high-demand, high-wage occupations," Nate McDonald, spokesman for the state Department of Workforce Services, said in a news release.
"We need to prepare a critical mass of skilled workers in select economic clusters where there is demand. That can only happen if we have talent ready for those jobs," Gov. Gary Herbert added in the release.
The Millard School District program was awarded $154,024. Other grants went to:
• Women Tech Council, $232,822: With Utah universities and companies, the council will develop a framework to keep female students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degree programs.
• University of Utah, $193,100: The U. will set up college-level education courses for students with autism spectrum disorders.
• Pinnacle Canyon Academy, $200,000: The school will develop six-week paid internships for high school students in a health professions program at Utah State University Eastern in Price.
• Snow College, $199,971: The college will establish a two-year program in computer engineering and a four-year program in software engineering.
• Weber State University, $274,000: WSU will train people from applied technology centers and school districts on curriculum for advanced hybrid and electrical vehicle systems.
• Utah Valley University, $202,800: UVU will create its own manufacturing certificate and full-degree programs, along with certificates from Mountainland Applied Technology College.
• Granite School District, $200,000: The district will oversee summer computer coding boot camps in 10 school districts and redesign the "Keys to Success" program to focus on promoting computer-science careers.
• Duchesne School District, $148,863: The district will create a program for students to solve issues and complete projects with business leaders.
• Mountainland Applied Technology College, $142,600: The college will help students get hands-on work experience.
• Utah State University-Moab, $126,820: USU will create and implement "stackable" credentials programs for the Grand County School District.
• Utah State University-Eastern in Price, $50,000: USU will assess industry needs in southeastern Utah and develop a career-pathways program for students from middle school to graduate school.