MELVIN HALL : Dean, UCI Extension

It used to be that if you got laid off in a recession, there was a good chance that the economy would bounce back and you would be rehired. With severe cuts in defense, there’s no guarantee that will happen this time. Instead, displaced workers are changing careers, looking to be re-educated about new technologies and new markets. That doesn’t always mean making a huge investment in a new college degree, but perhaps taking some night school classes. UCI Extension Dean Melvin Hall talked to Times correspondent Ted Johnson.

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What happens to your curriculum when the economy is in such a state of flux?

One of the things that the economy has done is it has changed our student mix. We see more engineers, for example, coming back to try to leverage their engineering background to try to get into newer fields, where they feel they may have more job security and more chances for advancement. As we see those shifts, it influences how many sections of a course we’ll offer and how much emphasis we place on different areas of our curriculum. Helping people make a smooth transition from one field to another is the business that we have been in for a number of years. There’s always some sector of the economy that is a little slower. There’s a lot of attention now because of the massive nature of layoffs at the former defense companies and the spinoff effect it is having on the economy.

What types of courses are displaced engineers from aerospace companies taking?

One of the most popular areas is hazardous materials management. It is a field based on engineering principles, and many engineers feel they have some of the basic background. We also have people who are going into personal financial planning, another field that draws upon the analytical skills and facility with numbers and financial data that many engineers have developed in their current positions. We now have the largest class . . . in legal studies, (those wanting) to become legal assistants.

Are employed workers trying to secure their jobs with extension courses?

We did a survey a couple of years ago, and about 66% of our students were funded by their company. The companies continue to make an investment in their staff to upgrade their skills and to be as current as they can be in technical areas, new procedures and new trends.

Has the recession been reflected in enrollment?

We’ve had double-digit rates of growth for the past three years. The recession has a lot to do with it, and we are doing a much more assertive marketing campaign. We’re marketing directly through companies, and we’ve also upgraded the quality of our direct-mail pieces. We found that a lot of people just were not aware of the programs we offer. What sorts of courses are falling out of favor with students?

We have a couple of certificates that are not drawing very well. One of them is light construction and development management (home building), which is predictable. Others are investment real estate and land use and environmental planning. There are still many students who began the certificate program before the downturn in the economy. But they are committed to finishing, expecting the field will bounce back.

With so much emphasis on professional training, are students still interested in liberal arts courses?

We’re finding a great deal of interest continuing in the arts and humanities. Many people find the arts and humanities related to their professional livelihood, not just something related to their vocational interest. I just recruited a new director for the arts and humanities area, and she has several exciting new certificate programs on the drawing board. Another area of growth is in writing. People are interested in learning how to write screenplays, or writing for personal expression or personal growth. The demand was there, we are just now finding the resources to meet that demand.

How have you convinced businesses to fund employee education?

What we are always faced with is helping a company understand the cost-benefit ratio of investing in this kind of training, either for their staff or community programs. We are a self-supporting enterprise ourself; we have learned to think in those terms. When we go to a company, we always start with: ‘What are the company’s objectives?’ Then we try to tailor the instruction so the students are learning not only the concept material, but learning it in a way so that it enhances the company’s own bottom line.

How do you compete with private-sector education companies, such as National Education Centers?

Our programs are certificate programs. They are not part-time degree programs. We attract a different clientele. We are in a position to do a lot more customizing of the training because it is not degree-based approach. For example, a company that knows they will have to send a half-dozen employees to work on a project in another country will come to us, and we will develop programs to help those employees adjust to the new place where they will be living.

Most of your students now participate in at least one three-hour seminar on cultural diversity in the workplace. How has that worked?

The focus is on helping professionals understand the importance of cultural diversity issues to their professional practice. Students like more discussion, livelier demonstration or role playing. Often what goes on in the workplace around the issue of cultural diversity is just a lack of understanding because of a lack of contact. What we really want them to leave with is more a questioning of themselves than to gain any pat answers. We want them to say, ‘What do I need to do to be a good engineer if I want to work in a multicultural society?’

On the UCI Extension curriculum . . .

“We want students to have an appreciation of theory, but all from a practical standpoint. We never lose sight that the information has to be useful and timely.”

On reaction to cultural diversity seminars . . .

“A number of students said that finally, the classroom has caught up with the reality of diversity in the workplace.”

On company training . . .

“There have been recessions in our country where companies quickly cut back on their training budget. This time, they seem to have more faith in investing in their staff.”

On engineers taking courses . . .

“They are coming back to update their skills to compete for newer jobs. Or because their company downsized, many who are still employed now have to cut across many different areas.”