The State, through STEM Workforce Challenge Grants, seeks to spark the creation of lasting partnerships between industry and workforce training providers. These partnerships must result in:
- The identification of STEM-specific skills needed by employers in Nevada;
- The creation of programs that provide the education and skills training to workers that match the needs of employers;
- Are aligned with present and future workforce needs in Nevada as identified by relevant labor market information (LMI); and
- Are sustainable after grant funds have been exhausted.
Grant Information
College of Southern Nevada (CSN) was awarded $168,762.00 to expand their Dialysis Patient Care Technician (DPCT) program from 45 to 60 students per year, and later growing to 90 students per year. Funding will allow for training lab updates to accommodate the additional students. The DPCT Program targets displaced workers and traditional postsecondary student for the Healthcare Technology industry. Participants have 100 hours of lab and 210 hours of clinical experience to learn clinical, technical, environmental, and Healthcare responsibility skills related to the care for patients with permanent kidney failures in a clinical, medical, or hospital setting. Participants leave the program with a certificate of completion and eligibility to apply for Nevada Eligible Industry Credentialling List Exams (NEICL) such as National Association for Health Professionals (NAHP) Certified Patient Care Technician. The students are also eligible to apply for Board of Nephrology Examiners, Certified Technician (BONENTCHT), Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT), National Nephrology Certification Organization (NNCO) Hemodialysis Technician.
Northern Nevada Electric Joint Apprentice Training Committee (NNEJATC) was awarded $200,814.00 to expand the Photovoltaic (PV) program to include more seats as well as additional Battery Storage training and certification. The program will increase capacity from 10 to 20 students per cohort. Each cohort takes 24 hours of coursework and hands-on training to complete. The project targets displaced workers, incumbent workers, and traditional postsecondary students throughout Nevada to gain hands-on training for installation of solar panels on rooftops, construction, configuration and installation of electrical panels and wiring of residences and businesses, and connection to battery storage configuration. Participants will receive a nationally recognized PV Certificate and sit for the PV Installer Licensing and Exam offered by the State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry.
Professional Institute of Technology, Inc. (PITA) was awarded $36,904.00 to expand the existing IT program to include cybersecurity and expand seats to 20 participants per cohort. The project targets displaced workers, underemployed workers, and new job seekers for Cyber Security Specialist positions. Participants complete CompTIA CYSA+, PenTest+ and Cloud+ certifications, along with over 150 hours of training.
Western Nevada College (WNC) was awarded $338,152.90 to purchase adult and pediatric simulators for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program. The high-fidelity simulators will improve prehospital practitioners through a more realistic approach. These simulators allow training facilities as much realism as possible with critically ill or injured patients that cannot be implemented in any other way. The simulators allow for repetition to begin the “experience” of patient care through differential diagnosis, recognition of vital signs in given scenarios, and how different treatments will affect patient outcomes with physiologically correct responses, all while interacting with the full complement of skills allowed by the student. The simulators will be used by approximately 120 students per year in the preparation of certification and live treatment of patients.