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.
In Round 4, the Governor's Office of Science, Innovation and Technology awarded $954,235.12 to eleven applicants in Northern, Southern, and Rural Nevada to create new STEM workforce training programs that meet the needs of local employers.
Grant Information
Awarded Applications
Carrington College was awarded $150,000 to fund the expansion of its registered nursing program to include an evening/night delivery of that program. This expansion will allow Carrington College to train an additional seventy-two registered nursing students annually to meet regional demand. The addition of an evening and night training option will provide an opportunity for a more diverse demographic of students including working adults and stay-at-home parents. Graduates of the program will receive an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing and will qualify to sit for the NCLEX-RN examination and, upon passage, be able to license as Registered Nurses in Nevada and work in that capacity. The estimated Mean Wage is $38.05/hr.
College of Southern Nevada (CSN) was awarded $195,924.88 for their Unmanned Aviation Systems (UAS) Engineering Technology for Eight state-of-the-art unmanned aircraft and equipment needed to train students in the growing UAS industry. The UAS degree program is designed specifically for students who have a desire to work in unmanned aviation system related careers. The degree model includes a combination of courses from Aviation, Computer Information Technology, and Engineering Technology. Students are provided with classroom and laboratory experiences in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements and aviation fundamentals, electronics, microprocessors, and programming. Videography courses address basic and intermediate film making techniques using digital video equipment. Other topics include digital camera usage and digital editing with commercial software applications. The program will prepare students to enter the employment market as UAS Technicians. The degree program will prepare students for employment in a variety of different fields with median hourly earnings above $30 per hour, such as Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Construction and Building Inspection, Telecommunications Equipment Installation, Aircraft Mechanics and Service, Real Estate, and Agriculture and Public Lands, including Forest Fighting.
Great Basin College (GBC) was awarded $43,800 for Operation Bravo (OB), a Student Veteran Internship Program. GBC partnered with Barrick Gold Corporation, and the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) to design and fund the program. OB is designed to increase the supply of highly skilled, motivated, and well-rounded graduates into the top priority STEM occupations within rural Nevada’s labor force. Additionally, OB will provide guidance to both students and participating employers to ensure that a smooth transition between military and civilian culture can take place. OB is a flexible program that allows students to pursue certificate and degree opportunities that might range from one year to four years for completion.
Nevada Partners Inc. (NPI) was awarded $81,577.24 for their Welding Apprenticeship Program, which is designed to prepare individuals to succeed in apprenticeships and construction employment. The Welding program will be in addition to their current Construction Pre-Apprenticeship training which provides students with stackable credentials of the construction industry. The goals and objectives for this program are to provide individuals with necessary skills, credentials and tutoring needed to be prepared when applying for the various building trades. The target industry for this program is construction with a focus on welding, which will target adults ages 18 and over. Through a network of formal partnerships, recruitment has been targeted at veterans, ex-offenders, and recent high school graduates. Estimated starting wages for new welding apprentices is $15 per hour.
Transmosis was awarded $53,000 to design an employer-driven cyber security training program, in a partnership with Sands Corporation and Southwest Gas. Transmosis’ cybersecurity employer driven training program will focus on training incumbent workers, displaced workers, and postsecondary students. The program is aimed at trainees from underrepresented groups including minorities, females, veterans and persons with disabilities. The program offers trainees the opportunity to acquire and enhance their skills in cybersecurity based on the needs of the region’s employers and provide a direct pathway to employment. Graduates of the program will receive an industry recognized CompTIA cybersecurity certification upon passing the test. This program will accept 15 applicants with a target job placement rate of 80% (12 graduates) within 9 month of graduation. The average starting salary for an entry level position in cybersecurity such as a Cybersecurity Analyst is $72,000.
Truckee Meadow Community College (TMCC) was awarded $127,341 for Paramedic Training. Funding from the grant will go towards the purchase of 2 SimMan 3G Manikins and 2 RespiTrainer ADVANCE Intubation Trainers. This state of the art equipment will expand the hands-on training to prepare students for employment in emergency response and patient care careers.Target industries are hospitals, government (fire departments), and ambulance services. Graduates will be certified as Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. The target population is traditional postsecondary students (aged 18-24) from Washoe County and northern Nevada rural counties. TMCC expects to train 50 students per year. Graduates can expect a starting wage of about $32,000 per year that increases with experience and additional training.
Truckee Meadow Community College (TMCC) was awarded $36,000 to build out their unmanned aerial systems (UAS) degree program, specifically for UAS Sensor Data Processing equipment and curriculum.Funding from the grant will develop a UAS course to train incumbent workers and traditional postsecondary students in Sensor Data Processing. Occupations include Avionics Technicians, Remote Sensing Technicians, UAV Pilots, Flight Coordinators, Sensor Data Analysis, Aerial Photo Lab Manager and Research Associate. TMCC will target incumbent workers and traditional postsecondary students from Washoe County and Northern Nevada rural counties with an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Unmanned Aerial Systems. TMCC estimates it will train 20 students in each cohort. Graduates can expect a starting wage of about $57,000 per year.
University Medical
Center of Southern Nevada (UMC) was awarded a total of $171,642 for their
Nurse Residency Pilot Program. This
program, similar to a residency program for a physician or surgeon, will
provide a paid, structured nurse residency program for recently graduated
nurses that will provide them with the skills and on-the-job training needed to
begin their careers. A unique feature of
this project includes a national certification and evidence based practice
project to be completed by the nurse participants at the end of the program (1
year). The estimated starting wage of program completers - $57,227.
Washoe County Library System was awarded $2,950 for their Manufacturing Technician-1 (MT-1) Program. MT-1 is a nationally-recognized industry certification and this program provides vocational training for those who want to work directly for the growing number of manufacturers in Northern Nevada. The Washoe County Library has a partnership with Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) so that program graduates will have the option of either going directly into the workforce or continuing their training at TMCC.
Western Nevada College (WNC) was awarded $37,000 to expand its Mechatronics program to Level-Two. Level-Two focuses on systems management, investigation, repair and troubleshooting. In addition to the technical aspects, students learn the teamwork, process management and project skills that the more highly-paid technical positions require. This grant will fund one instructor trained at Level Two and a second instructor trained in Level One, Siemens Certified Mechatronic Systems Assistant. Siemens requires two certified trainers at partner schools. Additional funding is designated to purchase software for classrooms associated with Mechatronics training and marketing materials to promote WNC’s Mechatronics offerings. WNC anticipates 10 trainees per semester and the time level to complete level two is one semester. 95 percent of trainees have a job after completion with an estimated starting wage of $25.80 to $32.32 per hour. WNC is the site of the only Siemens-Certified Mechatronics program west of the Mississippi River.
Western Nevada College (WNC) was awarded $55,000 for Manufacturing and Engineering Equipment for their advanced education in manufacturing. WNC plans to purchase a Festo Mechanical Training Bench. The system is used to cover install, use, maintenance, and troubleshooting of mechanical drive components which has wide-reaching applications. Mechanical drive components are the basis for industrial maintenance and operations within a manufacturing or distribution facility. The training bench and associated curriculum is set up for modular training, allowing individuals to upskill on one or any combination of topic areas: Intro to Mechanical Drive (Belts, Chains, Gears); Belts 2, Chains 2, Alignment/Couplings, Lubrication; Gears 2, Bearings, Gaskets/Seals; Clutches/Brakes, Ball Screws/Linear Bearings; Laser Alignment, Vibration Metering, Vibration Analysis.