I am a firm believer in education. I recently earned my master’s degree and worked very hard for it. Because of life circumstances, it took many years of stopping and starting to finally achieve the goals of my bachelor’s degree and then my master’s degree, but I am glad that I stuck it out and accomplished my goals.

There are many that are afraid of continuing education or don’t think it is right for them. The older generation that never went to college might think they aren’t smart enough or don’t have the technical skills to go back and finish. Some in the younger generation don’t have the desire or money to continue with their education after high school graduation, yet they want the higher paying jobs.

Society is beginning to recognize career and technical education (CTE) as a viable option. Many realize that our future depends on technical education to create a functional society. High schools are incorporating more classes for the youth to get them excited about education outside of the standard curriculum. Students are given the opportunity to take concurrent enrollment courses that offer higher education credits while in high school. In Utah, the graduation rate has increased by nearly 10 percent and studies have shown that the students that participate in career education pathways graduate at a 15 percent higher rate than their peers. (higheredutah.org)

For individuals that have been out of school for a while, there are various opportunities to enroll in a technical college and obtain very specific training that will help lead to a great job. You don’t have to be computer savvy to still get a great education. The Utah manufacturing market is always looking for skilled workers. 

#EXPLOREMFG is a campaign encouraging the exploration of the manufacturing industry. This is sponsored by the Utah Manufacturers Associate which represents the industry in the state of Utah. This campaign shines more light on the opportunities with manufacturing careers and the technical colleges that provide the necessary training.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, go to exploremgf.org and see all there is to offer when it comes to our future with education and careers. They highlight work in: Advanced or Integrated Manufacturing, Electromechanical Assembling, CNC Machining, and Welding Technologies. It’s a whole new world in the manufacturing industry and many haven’t seen it yet!

So why technical education? Trained skilled workers are needed in the manufacturing industry. People want to learn trades with more hands-on experience and less classroom time. For some, four years of education is not something they are not wanting in order to get a good paying job and having a successful career. We are fortunate to have technical colleges in our area that provide this type of training for people out there ready to learn and be successful in the manufacturing industry.