Universal Technical Institute (UTI) has announced two new California-based programs to address the state's need for skilled workers. The new Early Employment and Welding Technology programs build on the success of several other recently launched offerings in California.

The Early Employment Program, a groundbreaking 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 long-term careers. The program will launch at UTI-Sacramento this Fall.

The Welding Technology Program, which trains students to fill the state's growing need for certified welders, will launch at UTI-Long Beach in August 2020.

"We work with our employer partners to develop and implement industry-aligned programs that graduate prepared, professional technicians who are ready to work," UTI Chief Executive Officer Jerome Grant said. "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."

For more than two decades, UTI's industry-aligned training has helped California employers meet the demand for skilled talent. From UTI campuses in Rancho Cucamonga, Sacramento and Long Beach, California employers have hired more than 13,000 UTI graduates since 2009, according to a UTI press release.

Demand for skilled automotive and diesel technicians is strong. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that, by 2026, there will be more than 1.2 million job openings (100,000 per year on average) in the transportation sector, according to a UTI press release.

For the complete story, visit uti.edu.