CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University has added four more certificates to help Utah residents and employers impacted by COVID-19, bringing the total of no-cost certificates to 11 with room for 435 participants.
Toward the end of August, SUU announced the first seven free certificate programs. The certificates are being offered as part of Gov. Gary Herbert’s Learn and Work initiative, which funds grants to SUU to help participants earn certifications they can use to boost their resumes, learn new skills for their jobs and to help those displaced by COVID-19.
“The new coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected many Utah families and community members,” Dave R. Woolstenhulme, the state’s commissioner of higher education, said in a news release. “As our state begins the process of economic recovery, higher education will serve a pivotal role in helping individuals reskill and reenter the workforce. We want Utahns to know that these educational programs can help them develop and sharpen the skills needed to prepare for their future.”
Covering a variety of disciplines, this latest approval adds four more no-cost certification programs to the SUU fall lineup: entrepreneurship case studies and mentoring, systems agility and innovation management, principles of contemporary animal services and remote work foundations.
“Learn & Work in Utah” was launched by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development and its Talent Ready Utah team in partnership with the Utah System of Higher Education.
“Each certificate is designed to prepare individuals for immediate and relevant workforce opportunities,” Melynda Thorpe, executive director at SUU Community and Professional Development, said in the release. “Our certificates are also uniquely designed to stack into SUU bachelor and master degree programs providing participants who are interested in completing degrees with a financial head start.”
Funding for participants is provided by a grant from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development and its Talent Ready Utah team, in partnership with the Utah System of Higher Education, to develop and deliver free professional development certificate programs to help those displaced during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This one-time opportunity is exciting to be able to offer to those who are displaced from employment, looking to upskill into an in-demand occupation or advance within their industry. We are honored to make this investment to help southern Utah,” said Stephen Lisonbee, executive director for the SUU Office of Regional Services. “Rural counties in the region have been especially hard hit. These funds will help us get the necessary training and counseling to our neighbors in outlying communities.”
For more information on Learn and Work in Utah certificates at Southern Utah University, click here, email [email protected] or call 435-865-8259.
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