KEEPING CURRENT: Continuing education programs can help build tech skills--and keep them sharp.

• Author: Coon, John
• Position: Technology

Being proficient with technology on job is no longer the exclusive domain of the tech industry--every job is evolving into a tech job to some extent. Keeping pace in a workplace regularly adopting new technologies can feel a bit like trying to swim upstream against a strong current.

Acquiring the tech skills you need to stay relevant doesn't mean enrolling in college and earning a degree in a four-year program. Many local Utah colleges and universities are of Fering another avenue to acquire these skills through continuing education programs. These give adults of all ages a chance to brush up on their skills and stay a step ahead of emerging technologies.

PROVIDING SKILL-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES

Continuing education is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of educational options. Such options typically include academic non-credit certificates, workshops, boot camps and lifelong learning classes.

Local universities take a multi-faceted approach when creating continuing education opportunities. They do everything from course surveys to consulting with local businesses to get a better idea of what will best serve community needs.

"We've always tried to stay at the forefront of what's going on in the community and in the workforce and in education," says Nate Friedman, the senior director for University Pathways Program in the Continuing Education and Community Engagement Department at the University of Utah. "We've really tried to adapt our offerings to what is coming next. We try to be one step ahead of the curve."

The University of Utah offers multiple certificate programs covering the full spectrum of tech skills that an employee or manager may need. Certifications are available in web design, digital marketing, web development and even digital photography.

People can enroll in a coding boot camp offered by the university, through its Web Design and Development Academy, where they can learn multiple languages and design programs centered around web development. Options include a full-time daytime program and a part-time evening program that fits around a job schedule.

The U is not the only option in this endeavor. Utah Valley University partnered with Bottega to launch a full-time Web Development and Coding Academy Certification Program in October, 2017.

Courses for the 12-week boot camp are taught at UVU's Thanksgiving Point Campus in Lehi. It costs $9,995 to enroll in the program. Once enrolled, students learn all about web...