$500,000 boost in state funding sought for worker training program

Some state officials are hoping for a boost in funding for the Utah College of Applied Technology's Custom Fit program, which helps companies get their employees needed training.

At a joint meeting Tuesday, the Utah Technology Commission and the Utah Technology Industry Council heard UCAT President Gregory G. Fitch say the program is hoping to get an additional $500,000 in state funding this year. The commission and council took no formal action on the matter.

The program is a partnership among UCAT, its college campuses, select sister institutions across the state, a couple of state agencies and the local business community to provide customized employee training. Examples are specific technical training, safety certifications, computer skills and leadership or management skills. Companies can get $500 per employee per company per fiscal year, but typically match that funding.

Fitch said state funding of about $3 million led to 926 companies training more than 18,000 workers through the program in 2003. The number of trainees fell by more than 900 in fiscal 2004, although company funding contributions rose. Fitch said many of the 2004 trainees already had had some Custom Fit training but sought more-technical training.

UCAT has asked for an additional $500,000 in state funding for the upcoming fiscal year, and Fitch said the governor's budget committee is supportive.

Several UTIC/UTC members and Fitch praised the program, in part because it can deal with company training needs quickly. "This is an immediate response that deals with it, and has, more importantly, the flexibility to adjust and maintain those services through Custom Fit. It's an extraordinary program," Fitch said.

David Harmer, a UTC member and executive director of the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development, said many companies in the Ogden area have competed fiercely for the Custom Fit training money "because they had needs that exceeded it."

Harmer said government should not try to prevent the outsourcing of jobs, "but I think we do have an obligation to focus on how do we provide good opportunities to retrain our people so they can move back into areas where they can be competitive."

Also, Utah's training incentive is poor compared to other states trying to lure companies. "We offer $500 per job, and it's almost a joke," Harmer said.

Tom Bingham, president of the Utah Manufacturers Association, said the baby boom generation is nearing retirement. "They are the highly trained technical people, and their replacements are not in the pipeline," Bingham said. "We can expect to see the need for this kind of training to accelerate significantly in the next decade."

"It takes a taxpaying citizen of this state," Fitch said, "and continues to upgrade their skills and move them forward and keep them here."

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