West Jordan will be the new location for a 113,000-square-foot training campus, serving more than 3,000 students interested in trade school programs. In November, Universal Technical Institute announced the new facility, the first to be built in Utah.
New campuses also will be constructed in Houston and Atlanta.
“These new campuses represent another milestone as we strengthen our position as an American leader in training programs for skilled collar and health care workers,” said Jerome Grant, CEO of Universal Technical Institute Inc. “By establishing a presence in Utah and increasing our footprint in Texas and Georgia, we will extend our impact and meet the unique demands of the employers in these markets.”
UTI’s West Jordan campus at River Point Plaza (1553 W. 9000 S.) is expected to open in 2027, training students in aviation, automotive/diesel, HVACR, welding, robotics/automation and electrical/industrial maintenance. The programs address a shortage of skilled workforce employees across the state and country.
The Utah location is part of UTI’s multi-year North Star strategy, expanding access to workforce-aligned education programs and training in response to employer demands nationwide.
“We started in 1965, so we’ve just celebrated our 60th anniversary this year. We have 15 campuses across the country, soon to be 17 next year, and Salt Lake City will be our 18th campus,” said Tracy Lorenz, president of UTI. “We have over 275,000 proud graduates across the country. It’s been a fantastic ride.”
As interest wanes for four-year college degrees due to financial pressures and job availability, UTI wants to give students another option. Representatives from UTI will connect with local high schools to explain the courses available on its campus and, hopefully, match students with a new career path.
UTI also offers a free three-week program called Ignite to encourage students to explore new fields, get hands-on experience and network with people in the workforce industries. If students sign up for the full program, they get credit for the three-week program.
“We’ve had a lot of students that have come to either our California campuses or Arizona campus, and so we’re just excited to bring the campus locally to Salt Lake City and specifically West Jordan,” Lorenz said. “We connect students with actual companies that have openings and can’t fill their jobs.”
Many of the programs at UTI can be completed in 12 months or less, including automotive technology, welding, HVACR technician and electrical technology. Lorenz said the strong tech industry in Utah was a factor in building a campus in West Jordan.
As the company gets ready to open its facility, officials will reach out to local employers, business leaders and chambers of commerce representatives to build connections and start conversations.
“As we continue our successful strategic execution, expanding access to our workforce solutions will drive sustainable growth through innovation and partnership, said Todd Hitchcock, corporate chief operating officer at Universal Technical Institute Inc. “We will reach even more students and employers with industry-aligned training that offers pathways for upward mobility.”
For more information, including a complete list of campuses and programs, visit uti.edu.