By VERNON ROBISON
The Progress
The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) has developed a strategic plan to expand its workforce training services at the Mesquite campus. These services will aim to help build a more robust workforce in the Virgin Valley and Moapa Valley communities.
The plans were presented by CSN President Frederico Zaragoza at a meeting with Mesquite City officials and local business leaders held at the Eureka Resort on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
The expanded offerings aren’t just being aimed at high school students and college-age young adults, according to Mesquite City Councilman George Gault who introduced Zaragoza at the meeting.
“Given the current environment, things are changing fast,” Gault said. “We have seen all of these jobs that are going to be lost in the region – maybe lost for good – and all the displaced workers that need to find new careers and new ways to go to work quickly. (CSN) is really trying to address the uncertainty of the future and help people figure out the future of work.”
During his presentation, Zaragoza explained that CSN is uniquely positioned to meet a variety of workforce needs in the community.
Through its dual enrollment program, local high school students who were interested in pursuing a university degree can earn college credit while still in high school.
“Through our early college model (in Las Vegas), about 80 students per year graduate high school with an associates degree in college,” Zaragoza said. “That is the potential that you have when working with a Community College.”
Zaragoza added that this dual enrollment program was a targeted area of planned expansion in Mesquite.
“But CSN also has a large menu of resources to help with workforce training,” Zaragoza said.
This would set up the college as a pathway back to the workforce for people who have seen their former jobs disappear in the current econonmy, he said. But it could also provide a path for young high school students who may want to enter the workforce directly after graduation.
“We are the number one provider of Workforce Education in the state bar none,” Zaragoza said speaking of CSN. “We can help people and communities prepare for, not only jobs that currently exist, but also occupations that are targeted to emerge in our communities the future.”
Zaragoza said that these services are most effective when CSN resources are aligned well to the vision of the community.
Along these lines, CSN Executive Director of Workforce & Economic Development, Ricardo Villalobos continued the presentation with areas that CSN had already interfaced with the community in aligning its plans. He said that he had reviewed the City’s Strategic Workforce Plan.
“In talking to local leaders we have identified the current career pathways that already are in demand for training programs,” Villalobos said. “But we have also set some targets for industries of the future.”
Current industries needing training program included the health care sector and the skills trades, Villalobos explained. Future targeted industries included the autonomous aircraft industry (drones), manufacturing and warehouse distribution careers.
The plan would have CSN offer industry-accepted certificate programs. These programs woulld be accelerated 6-9 month courses focused on getting people into existing and new skilled positions quickly, Villalobos said.
“These programs could be used by existing workforce that need either continuing education or education for re-employment in a new field,” Villalobos said. “But it also could be a pathway for kids, while still in high school, to earn workplace skills certifications and prepare to enter the workforce with good jobs immediately after graduation.”
CSN North Las Vegas Campus Vice President Clarissa Cota said that a foundation for such a program is already in place. Currently the Mesquite campus offers career certification classes like the accelerated Nurses Assistant program as well as an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program which is beginning this fall. Such career certification programs are planned to be expanded to other content areas, Cota said.
This would especially be valuable to high school kids who don’t envision themselves on the college track, she said.
“We want high school students to be able to graduate with an industry-recognized credential,” Cota said. “And we can do it. We can be delivering these tools and offering the classes either at the high school or at our site.”
In addition, dual credit offerings for high-schoolers on the college credit track are also being expanded, she said.
Principals at both MVHS and VVHS have been working together on plans to share dual credit classes between them and thus offer more college and career classes to their students, Cota said.
“I think it is tremendous that these two high schools have partnered with each other to double the amount of dual enrollment that is now able to be offered to their students by sharing instructors and using teleconferencing technology,” Cota said.
To wrap up the meeting, Gault expressed appreciation to the event sponsors which included the Mesquite Opportunities Regional Fund (MORF) and the Eureka Resort.
“This is just terrific for the community!” Gault concluded. “We are really looking forward to developing this partnership.”
