A rebranding effort has taken place in Blanding to more accurately represent the mission of the Utah State University Professional and Technical Education building. The facility, which serves San Juan County, will now be known as The USU SPARC Building.
Located at the corner of Bronco Drive and E 200 N in Blanding, the building contains several organizations focused on workforce development and small business support, including the USU Blanding Small Business Development Center, the Community Incubator and Co-working Space, and the USU Blanding Innovation Center Training.
The name SPARC stands for Small business, Professional development, Application, Resources and Certification. According to Meghan McFall, director of the USU Blanding SBDC, the new name was chosen to represent a mission that would last through the years.
McFall stated that the ultimate objective of every program within the building is to expand the economic base of San Juan County. This includes increasing the resilience of emerging and struggling small businesses, creating jobs, and developing skills for an employed workforce.
The SPARC Building provides a permanent incubator space offering flexible workplace solutions for remote employees, business owners, and entrepreneurs. Resources available within the building include internet connectivity, workshops, training sessions, courses, desktop and laptop rentals, individual workspaces, conference rooms, and a media center.
The facility incorporates various forms of instruction, such as digital marketing, professional development, industry certification, and new skills training. This includes scaled training opportunities for participants to learn fundamental technical skills through entry-level lessons.
The USU SPARC Building is located at 238 N 100 E in Blanding.
