Workforce Innovations

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University of California Extension, Santa Cruz: On-Site Training

Having well-trained staff is key to corporate success. However, the time, money, and staffing needed to create and facilitate targeted training programs in-house can be prohibitive for many companies, especially startups. For that reason alone, many companies in the past have either had to rely on their staff to locate and fund their own training or have had to forego training altogether. Fortunately, however, companies throughout Silicon Valley have a community partner that can not only provide targeted training programs, but also tailor programs so that they fit a company's budget and schedule— the University of California Extension, Santa Cruz.

First offered in 1981— the same year that IBM offered their "personal computer" to the public— UCSC Extension's On-Site Training Program has helped hundreds of companies with their training needs. Over the years, UCSC Extension has worked with companies as diverse as Extreme Networks and Lockheed Martin to provide such specialized training as engineering and management skills. Currently, UCSC Extension offers technical training programs, "Manager's Briefings," and "Leadership in Motion," a series of "rapid-fire" classes in project management, team building, coaching, and communication. A new addition to UCSC Extension's program that may be of particular interest to small companies and startups is the "Human Resources Projects and Consulting" service (see sidebar for additional information) .

Programs and services offered by UCSC Extension are timely, relevant, and adaptive to the ever-changing needs of the Silicon Valley corporate community. Through employee training, businesses can ensure that their employees possess current knowledge and cutting-edge skills and are able to navigate the economic shifts to ensure continued success in the marketplace.

For more information about UCSC Extension's On-Site Training Program, please visit their Web site at www.ucsc-extension.edu/ucsc/onsitetraining or contact Sandra Clark, program director, at (408) 861-3830.