The Chamber Lady

Imagine paying only $1.35 per “seat hour “tuition, plus fees. This is not a typo. Mountainland Applied Technology College has an open enrollment policy and for adults the price is right. High school students can also work with the school districts for reduced tuition. Locally, MATC is located at 789 E Bamberger Dr. Ste A in American Fork., but there are 79 UCAT instructional locations throughout the state of Utah..

In 2001, Governor Michael Leavitt and the Utah State Legislature created “UCAT” as a statewide technology college. Mountainlands is one of eight technology colleges that is scattered throughout the state of Utah. The UCAT services 12,328 secondary students and 29,021 post-secondary/adult students. These numbers surpass SLCC, UVU, and WSU in the career and technical education institutions. With numbers growing, it is thought that “90% of jobs providing a wage to sustain a family of four typically require some combination of vocational training and on-the job experience or an associate’s degree.” (ACT Ready for College, May 2006).

In our region, MATC is located in American Fork, Utah Valley University, Spanish Fork, Heber and Wasatch. Their offerings are wide and diverse including:

Auto Technology; Barbering and Cosmetology; Business; Carpentry; Commercial Truck Driving; Commercial Truck Driving; Culinary Arts; Dental, Medical, and Veterinarian Assisting; Diesel Mechanics; Emergency Medical; Information Technology; Nail and Pharmacy Technician; Media Design; Medical Billing; Nurse Assistant and Practical Nurse; Physical Therapy Aide; Wild land Firefighting

Next to affordability, flexibility is their next banner. One can start a course or program at any time and will finish a course or program upon completing the required competencies establish for that course or program. Normally any Monday, classes begin. The only exceptions are Nursing Assistant or EMT which require a certain number of seat hours to qualify for the state licensure requirements.

The State of Utah has also purchased property in Lehi by Thanksgiving Point. A large and comprehensive building has been designed and is waiting for state funding. The flagship program at this new facility will be a comprehensive nursing program for licensed practical nurses which are in a short supply across the United States.

There is no reason not to upgrade your skills, the cost is affordable, the open-entry-open-exit program is flexible. The workers with certificates and degrees are in high demand. Every way you look at it–MATC is a perfect match!!

Ever morning, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning, a lion wakes up. It knows it must out run the slowest gazelle or it will start. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up you better be running! (quoted from the Utah Scholars presentation).

The “moral of the story” is that the U.S. may not be running as fast as it needs to. While we have enjoyed prosperity during the last few decades, there are countries who produce products better, cheaper, and faster than the U.S. Who hasn’t picked up a phone and heard a different Indian or Filipino dialect on a customer service hotline. Many jobs and manufacturing plants have been outsourced to the world. Everyone has products “made in China.”

While corporate merges and acquisitions take place at a fast pace and jobs are outsourced to other countries in cost cutting measures. Employers are always looking to hire high skilled workers with strong academic backgrounds. They love workers who can innovate and create the answers to our toughest problems. One of the keys is education. Education pays. A high school graduate in the U.S. can hope to earn approximately $27,000 a year, in Utah its worse around $22,000. Two year associates degrees or certificates increase pay approximately $12,000 more. Bachelor’s degree ratchet up again with the average bachelor’s degree in business starting at $39,448. Engineers start at $54,256 nationally. Post graduate degrees in medicine, law, and dentistry start in the six figures ranges. Education pays–1 to 4 million more over a lifetime of one’s working career.

It might be a good time to re-tool, re-think what you are doing. Recessionary times are perfect times to educate yourself. Locally, we have the MATC, a new Provo College campus, BYU and UVU are right down the street. Plus there are opportunity for online courses and adult education classes. Survival of the fittest, yes, the American worker can survive this global economy. Education is the key. Opportunities always follow the educated, engaged learner.

Recycle, renew, or reuse are all great buzz words in this new “green” environment, but do they make economic sense. Three local businesses prove not only do they make environmental sense; they make financial sense.

Tammi and Michael Garlick have been renewing old furniture for years. They own a great downtown’s business “Finders Keepers”. The Garlicks have worked for year restoring used furniture in their garage. Tammi has a creative and artistic side that shines through when she’s restoring a piece of furniture. Michael is always hunting at the Deseret Industries or garage sales for great pieces that his wife can restore. Their store is filled with one of kind items that were picked by Tammi or restored by her. Check out their store at 63 E Main Street or online at finderskeepers.com

A new downtown store is Lisa Ashby’s Mona Lisa. Lisa hails from the northwest and wanted to find a place where she could set up shop that was an old building that had been restored. She found the place in the old Jones Paint and Glass building on Main Street. The wood floors and used brick look add to her store’s ambience. Mona Lisa’s is a great place to bring nice old furniture, home décor, or antiques. All pieces are sold on consignment. She will be expanding her store to the other side of the building adding consignment clothing to her offerings. You’ll find Mona Lisa’s at 53 E Main or online at www.monalisaconsign.com

D’Le Borg has been buying high-end, designer clothing at Cozy Closet at her store at 194 N West State Rd for over a year now. She specializes in clothing for women and children. She pays top dollar for designer labels in excellent shape. D’Le worked for many years at Bank of American Fork and decided to venture into the small business owner world.

So if you are looking to make a few extra bucks to help the family’s bottom line, be sure to stop by one of American Fork’s environmentally friendly businesses—Finders Keepers, Mona Lisa’s or the Cozy Closet. Going green means extra green in your pocket!!