The Early Employment Program, a program being developed in partnership with local employers, blends post-secondary technical education and on-the-job skills training to develop California’s pipeline of skilled employees and give students an inside track on rewarding, long-term careers, UTI says. The program will launch at UTI–Sacramento this fall.
The Welding Technology Program launch at UTI-Long Beach in August 2020.
UTI says the programs build on the success of several other recently launched programs in California, including the BMW Military Student Technician Education Program (MSTEP), which trains service members on-base at Camp Pendleton, and allows them to immediately enter careers at BMW dealers as they transition to civilian life. UTI’s Welding Technology Program at the Rancho Cucamonga campus opened in 2018.
UTI’s industry and employer partnerships in California include Axalta, BMW, Caliber Collision, Crown Lift Trucks, Crown Technical Systems, Eli’s Collision Centers, Ford, General Dynamics, Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln Electric, Penske Automotive Group, Penske Truck Leasing, Peterbilt, Roush Yates Engines and Rush Truck Center, among others.
“We work with our employer partners to develop and implement industry-aligned programs that graduate prepared, professional technicians who are ready to work,” says Jerome Grant, UTI CEO. “These two programs give students hands-on, real-world training, along with the hard and soft skills to enter the workforce in demand with confidence.”
UTI says its Early Employment Program marries proven post-secondary skills education with on-the-job training. When the program launches, students will apply for local jobs with participating employers as soon as they enroll at UTI’s Sacramento campus. The program is designed to immerse students in an apprenticeship-like experience, so they graduate already knowing the culture and processes of their employers, even better positioned to hit the ground running in full-time industry jobs. Graduates who meet their employers’ criteria will also receive reimbursement of school-related expenses and possible other incentives.
“The Early Employment Program fast-tracks the engagement between students who could greatly benefit from a technical education and the employers who want to hire them,” says Tess Dubois-Carey, UTI-Sacramento campus president. “Students can earn a living and gain industry-specific experience while they’re in school, and that is invaluable.”
UTI’s 36-week Welding Technology Program prepares students for certification via the American Welding Society. The program is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and gives students the skills to work in the transportation and fabrication industries, among others.
“We are thrilled to be the fifth UTI campus to welcome a welding program,” says Larry Hohl, UTI-Long Beach campus president. “The opportunities for skilled welders are plentiful and varied, as welders enjoy the freedom to move from one industry to another, depending on where demand is the greatest.”
