JAMIE CUSTER - North County Staff | Posted: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 11:00 pm
Education at Mountainland Applied Technology College for many years had been associated with UVSC. As of February 2003, the school was on its own, but when the Orem campus broke away from UVSC, as with the other state technology campuses, it did not have the accreditation needed to stand on its own.
That is changing.
April 3-6 is expected to bring about the accreditation needed as the team from Council of Education visits the college -- which means federally funded financial aid will now be available. Also, the school can provide special certification and licensing that can only be granted through an accredited school.
There are 13,000 students enrolled in the Mountainland region, (Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties are the region). Seventy-five percent of the students are high school students. The Orem campus managing marketer Mark Middlebrook said the new accreditation will change those statistics drastically.
"We have a great rapport with the school districts. They help us a lot," Middlebrook said. "We in turn, provide great opportunity for their students. Individuals can explore careers here. Many students start in one area and find that they really do not wish to pursue a career in that field and are able to change to another field. How valuable is thatfi One can earn their associates degree or acquire a certificate to begin working.
"High school students are, in many cases, attending the college while they are enrolled in their regular high schools," Middlebrook said.
Because of special programs high school students do not pay tuition, but they are required to pay the fees to attend MATC, while those who are no longer in high school are responsible for the total cost of tuition.
"Obviously, this affects the number of adult students who can afford to attend," he said. "With the new accreditation, more adults will be able to enroll, due to the availability of financial aid."
For many, MATC is a stepping stone into higher education. For example, before a student can enroll in a nursing program, he or she must first acquire a CNA license. That can be done in one year at MATC. The same is true for attending pharmacy school, the student must first obtain the Pharmacy Tech. license.
"There is a huge demand for technical training for people to acquire jobs," Middlebrook said.
MATC offers 18 programs and provides resources. There are many cases of men and women who are looking to change or enhance their careers. In some programs this can be accomplished in a single semester.
Jennifer Christensen began attending MATC as a high school senior. She enrolled in the dental assisting program.
"Because it is a one-year program," said Christensen. "When I graduated from high school, I graduated with a certificate in dental assisting and radiology as well. It's been a great career choice for me."
This story appeared in North County on page A4.