Head of the class: local colleges innovate to supply 21st century workforce.

• Author: Webb, Gaylen
• Position: Focus

In eight short years, approximately 66 percent of all Utah jobs will require some post secondary training beyond high school. That's according to projections made by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.

"The Georgetown University report is a foundational point of research that we are using to develop Utah's 2020 plan for higher education," says Cameron Martin, associate commissioner for economic development and planning for the Utah System of Higher Education. "It is a credible report we have verified through the Utah Department of Workforce Services."

The major goal of the Vision 2020 plan is for at least 66 percent of the state's workforce to have at least an associate's degree by the year 2020. Currently, only 39 percent of Utahns hold post secondary education degrees or certificates.

Because of that huge gap between the projected demand and what the state can actually supply, Martin says it is essential that Utah awaken itself to the need to increase the number of individuals with post secondary degrees or certificates--especially within three of the hottest job markets: international business, renewable energy and digital media.

Two of those hot markets, renewable energy and digital media, have been incorporated into the Utah Cluster Acceleration Partnership (UCAP), an innovative effort in which Utah's institutions of higher education become regional hubs of economic activity and the respective presidents become "regional economic stewards."

UCAP, says Martin, is about aligning the needs of industry with the talent production of Utah's system of higher education, "so that the workforce we produce has the skills and level of education to meet the demands of our industries."

Digital Media

Utah has developed a strong cluster or digital media companies, and many of the state's colleges and universities are rapidly adding or expanding programs to meet the demand for educated workers in that industry. For example, Utah Valley University is leading a pilot UCAP initiative to align the needs of this hot market with the educational programs at Utah's colleges and universities.

"Digital media has long been an area of excellence for UVU students," says President Matthew S. Holland. "Like UVU, the state understands the importance of this area, and we are thrilled to partner with the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) and USTAR's central Utah office as the host site for the state's digital media cluster...