Davis Technical College Offers Programs for All Ages

Carmen Enriquez

Jo Sjoblom

As she came to the end of her fouryear term as mayor of South Weber in January of 2022, Jo Sjoblom considered what the next step should be in her life. Having earned a bachelor’s degree in her youth, she considered going back to school for a master’s or doctoral degree. At age 54, however, she wondered if she really wanted to spend that much time preparing for a new career. Was there another opportunity out there that would get her into the workforce faster?

She found her answer at Davis Technical College.

“I decided to do Web and Graphic Design, and I’ll be done in less than a year from start to finish,” Sjoblom said. “I can learn it quickly and be able to get into a job a lot more quickly than if I had gone to get another degree at school. It just seemed more of a logical choice.”

Students of all ages and in all stages of life are finding similar opportunities at Davis Tech in Kaysville. The school offers more than 35 different training and certification programs in six areas: Business & Technology, Construction, Health Professions, Manufacturing, Service Professions and Transportation.

“Students can start with us as early as as their junior year in high school, or it could be someone who wants to retool for a second career or encore career,” said Melanie Hall, director of marketing & community relations for Davis Technical College. “Education is a spectrum. It can happen at all kinds of points in someone’s life. There is always opportunity.”

Davis Tech student Carmen Enríquez began her technical education in Arizona, where she received experience working on cars. Her passion for handson learning and a desire to make cars and tools better led her to pack up her jeep and join the Clearfield, Utah, Job Corps. She enrolled in the Welding Technology program, which partners with Davis Tech.

After completing her coursework in the welding program, Enríquez took a position cleaning Northrop Grumman facilities and found herself fascinated with the large projects they worked on and wanted to be on the other side.

Enríquez then chose to enroll in Davis Tech’s Composite Material Technology program, seeing the many possibilities it would offer her to build products from aerospace to cars.

“Davis Tech made it possible for me to come to school, have a job and access the resources I needed to keep coming without breaks,” said Enríquez. “Students who feel like they can’t go to college, at Davis Tech, you can!”

Sjoblom said she was nervous about returning to school and wondered if she would be able to keep up with the younger students. “I didn’t know if I had it in me, but it was wonderful to be learning again and growing at that speed, learning new things at my age. That’s a great thing,” she said.

With a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Sjoblom has an understanding of what makes good design, but working with graphics on a computer was a new experience for her. The instructors in her certification program, however, have been eager to provide assistance.

“I’ve watched some of them sit down for more than an hour trying to help one student,” she said. “There’s always someone there to help you out.”

For more information about Davis Technical College’s programs, student services and financial aid, go to davistech.edu.