Utah State offers jobs workshop for rural areas

LOGAN — Utah’s economy is ranked as one of the best in the country, but some educators say not all parts of the state are sharing in the success.

In particular, analysts at Utah State University say unemployment and underemployment rates in rural Utah are higher than in the bigger cities. They’re creating a new program to help people in those rural areas find jobs.

USU Extension Associate Professor Paul Hill says the Rural Online Initiative was funded during the 2018 legislative session, so it’s ready to get going in the next month. He adds, there are a lot of jobs people may not even know to look for.

“Teach English to students in Asia, working as a paralegal remotely,” Hill offered as examples.

Starting in October, workers will tour five rural counties to inform residents about upcoming workshops to help them find online work.