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In this undated photo, students train on heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, systems at Utah Valley University.

Courtesy Utah Valley University

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In this undated photo, Utah Valley University students work during an electrical class. Such classes now will be open to students from Mountainland Technical College through a new cross-institution partnership.

Courtesy Utah Valley University

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Utah Valley University provides a number of programs that allow college students to run classes concurrently so they can graduate from college earlier.

On Thursday, UVU and Mountainland Technical College signed an agreement creating a pathway for MTECH graduates in HVAC, electrical, plumbing and welding to earn an associate degree in business management at UVU in half the usual time.

The agreement provides graduates with 28 hours of UVU credit toward a two-year business degree, which cuts the time to graduation in half. The program is available to students who graduated from MTECH in 2023 or later.

“This exciting partnership will greatly benefit our students with a clear pathway to further their education and expand their career opportunities,” said Clay Christensen, MTECH president. “There is no doubt that combining technical skills with business management knowledge gives our students an advantage in an increasingly competitive job market.”

According to the college, many of the students in these apprenticeships have expressed a desire to eventually run their own businesses in their areas of expertise. The new system, MTECH said, will provide a faster and more efficient path toward a degree, giving students access to coursework in accounting, marketing, management and other key competencies for managing a business.

“UVU and MTECH are building Utah’s workforce by giving students diverse opportunities to gain relevant skills, knowledge, and credentials for the 21st century,” UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez stated in a press release. “Our partnership exemplifies UVU’s commitment to collaborate with others to prepare students for success in work and life.”

The UVU program will be available both in-person and online.

UVU maintains an ongoing relationship with MTECH, creating academic pathways between the two institutions. UVU has 16 articulation agreements with MTECH, including pathways for the Associate in Applied Science degree in technology and the Associate in Science in nursing degree, according to the release.