NCET Biz Tips: Grant Retrains Nevadans For Manufacturing Jobs
by Jodi Herzik
odi Herzik
Even if we have been blessed with good health, COVID-19 has changed the way we live, learn and work. As we have adjusted to the “new normal,” employees have gone back to work, and students returned to school. But for thousands of Nevadans, the pandemic has left them without a job to which to return.
The Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation compiles the number of unemployment claims. As of the week ending Aug. 29, there were 221,391 claims for unemployment in Nevada, with 15,623 claims in Washoe County and 187,156 in Clark County. To put this into perspective, Nevada currently has an insured unemployment rate of 16.4%, second only to Hawaii which sits at 18.6%.
Through a new program, Nevadans who have been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic can be retrained at no cost to work in high-demand manufacturing careers with a federal grant from Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
The Manufacturing Technician (MT1) Express Online Certification Prep is offered through Western Nevada College, in a new partnership with Empower America; Extended Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno; and Nevada Industry Excellence.
The Manufacturing Technician (MT1) Express online program will retrain people for a high-demand position with manufacturing companies throughout Nevada. Students will gain foundational knowledge of the fundamental skills needed in advanced manufacturing, including math and measurement, quality and Lean concepts, and an introduction to manufacturing processes. Problem-solving strategies will be developed while learning about simple machines and industrial systems through practice with computer and web-based tools.
In the second half of the training, students may have the opportunity to interview for hundreds of jobs with companies throughout Nevada that have job openings, including Panasonic Energy of North America and Sierra Nevada Corporation.
These aren’t your grandfather’s manufacturing jobs. Today’s manufacturing is cool, clean and advanced, with opportunities for growth, competitive pay and benefits. Program participants will learn high-tech skills in robotics, automation, intelligent mobility and computer interfaces. Job opportunities are in industries such as automotive, aerospace, mining and healthcare.
Manufacturing Technician (MT1) Express Online Certification Prep includes two self-paced, online college courses offered through the Automation and Industrial Technology Center at Western Nevada College. Students successfully completing the coursework will have the opportunity to earn their nationally recognized Manufacturing Technician Level 1 (MT1) certification though three industry certification exams.
The first course, AIT 101: Fundamentals of Applied Industrial Technology, is offered Oct. 12-Dec. 18, 2020. The second course, AIT-200: Applied Industrial Technology Projects, is offered Oct. 26-Dec. 18. The program requires basic computer skills and computer access with high-speed internet.
The Manufacturing Technician Certification is endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers.
To be eligible for free training, you must be a Nevada resident with a high school diploma or equivalency.
In northern Nevada, to learn more about the MT1 program and the steps required to qualify for the retraining grant, contact Aubrey Nelson at the Community Services Agency, (775) 786-6023, ext. 1021 or anelson@csareno.org.
Jodi Herzik is the Interim Vice Provost for the University of Nevada, Reno Extended Studies (extendedstudies.unr.edu) and NCET’s vice president of Biz Café. NCET is a member-supported, nonprofit organization that produces educational and networking events to help people explore business and technology. www.NCET.org