Ogden, Utah – September 29, 2022 – Utah State University Extension recently received a $500,000 grant to fund a two-year program to train rural residents in the state of Utah as technology sales professionals who can work remotely for MarketStar, a global leader in the outsourced B2B inside sales industry over the past 34 years.
The Utah Works Grant is awarded through Talent Ready Utah, housed within the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. Talent Ready Utah works closely with industry and education to develop workforce development solutions to build Utah’s talent pool by providing increased access to career and educational opportunities in high-growth industry sectors that result in career placements.
“The Utah Legislature graciously provided appropriations to Utah Works—a program that increases partnerships between businesses and the Utah System of Higher Education to provide short-term technical skills training to fill high-demand positions,” said Vic Hockett, Director of Talent Ready Utah. “MarketStar is a visionary organization that is growing at a rapid rate. We are excited for the lives that will be changed through this expert-designed training offered by USU Extension to directly fill tech occupations.”
This grant will fund a new 45-hour Certified Technology Sales Professional training program, offered free of charge through USU Extension, which will prepare rural residents across the state to work as remote Sales Representatives for MarketStar, a business-to-business sales company headquartered in Ogden. The program guarantees an interview with MarketStar after completing the training course.
“We are excited to partner with USU Extension to develop the new Certified Technology Sales Professional certification,” said Justin Nalder, Executive Vice President of Corporate Operations for MarketStar. “There are more than 750,000 new inside sales jobs created in the U.S. each year, and Utah technology companies will need talented and trained sales professionals as our technology sector continues to grow and thrive. The new certificate program will connect talented people from Utah’s rural communities to high-demand sales skill training, and then to some of the most interesting and contemporary brands in technology. We are truly excited to participate in developing the program, and to meet the first cohort of certified graduates in 2023.”
MarketStar will hire an estimated 1,500 positions in 2022 across all tech sales, tech enablement and support roles.
“These are well-paying positions with upward mobility that allow employees to work from home,” said Paul Hill, USU Extension Professor. “We know from our research that remote jobs bring higher incomes and a greater quality of life for individuals and families in our rural communities, which in turn stimulates economic growth and diversity.”
Training will begin in January 2023 with a goal of 200 program participants over the two-year project.
"I am thrilled for this partnership with MarketStar and the opportunities it will create for economic diversity and financial mobility in our rural Utah communities," said Ken White, USU Extension Vice President.
To learn more about the Certified Tech Sales Professional course, please visit http://remoteworkcertificate.com/sales.
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About Utah State University
Utah State University Extension provides research-based programs and resources with the goal of improving the lives of individuals, families, and communities throughout Utah. USU Extension operates through a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture, Utah State University, and county governments. Founded in 1914 as part of the Smith-Lever Act, USU Extension plays a primary role in helping Utah State University fulfill its land-grant mission. Though more than 100 years old, USU Extension is as vital as ever, and perhaps even more so, due to the increased diversity and complexity of the issues people encounter today. The integration of teaching, research, and public service enables USU Extension to respond to critical and emerging issues with research-based, unbiased information.
About MarketStar
Through outsourced customer engagement solutions, MarketStar accelerates growth from lead to recurring revenue with business-to-business (B2B) sales and customer success programs. Utilizing a blend of voice, digital, and field engagements, MarketStar has launched, sold, and supported thousands of products and services on behalf of the biggest and most innovative companies across the globe. Founded in 1988, MarketStar pioneered the sales outsourcing industry and today has more than 1,750 employees worldwide. To learn more, visit www.marketstar.com.
About the Utah System of Higher Education
The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) is governed by the Utah Board of Higher Education and is comprised of Utah’s sixteen public colleges and universities. The CEO of USHE is the Commissioner of Higher Education. Talent Ready Utah is housed within the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. For more information, visit ushe.edu.
