Evaluating Utah\u27s Rural Online Initiative: Empowering Rural Communities Through Remote Work

Utah\u27s rural counties have experienced high levels of unemployment compared to the state\u27s urban counties. Utah State University Extension developed a remote work educational program intended to reduce rural unemployment. We conducted a descriptive study to gather data from May–August 2019 participants (N = 1,025). Our results indicate that short-term outcomes from the course were realized. On average, participants experienced increases in knowledge, improved skills, and positive intentions toward seeking remote employment. We recommended formative evaluation for continuous course improvement and follow-up procedures to measure participants\u27 success in securing remote employment. Extension professionals can plan and evaluate their programs using the framework presented in this article