Computer Training

After opening five new centers in the past three weeks, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers Inc. said it has more facilities teaching people to run Microsoft networking software than any other training company. Based in Santa Ana, the firm has 79 centers worldwide that offer this kind of training.

It has two teaching facilities in Orange County--Santa Ana and Irvine.

“There’s a growing need for technical training among people looking to make themselves more marketable in the work force, and corporations wanting to keep their staff up-to-date,” said Gene Longobardi, New Horizon’s senior vice president for North American operations. “It’s not just desktop software stuff, the ‘how do I use a computer’ skills any more.”

Analysts say that computer education is a $4.6-billion industry in the U.S., and is growing 13% each year. Nearly 70% of the market comes from instructor courses like those taught at New Horizons and competitors like Productivity Point International, Global Knowledge Network and ExecuTrain.

New Horizons offers training on personal computer programs such as word processing and spreadsheets, as well as networking and programming.

Last year, 1.5 million people signed up for New Horizon classes at one of its 200 general computer training centers spread across 28 countries. Nearly a third enrolled in software engineering courses, company officials said.

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P.J. Huffstutter covers high technology for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7830 and at p.j.huffstutter@latimes.com.