The U S Department of Labor announced the today that Nevada has been awarded a $6 million grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation will facilitate State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grant which is designed to teach workers the skills required in emerging industries, including efficiency and renewable energy, said Larry Mosley, DETR director.

“This grant award is the result of direction by Governor  Jim Gibbons to pursue all available avenues in producing resources that would contribute to the development of much needed jobs, particularly in the area of renewable energy,” Mosley said. “To that end, DETR developed a partnership team to apply for the green job grant that we are proud to say we have successfully procured.”

Governor Gibbons said, “this grant is an important development in our efforts to help Nevada’s economy recover from the devastating effects of this recession. We are pleased to have the opportunity to offer Nevadans additional skills training to help them become employed in jobs that involve renewable energy.”

The grant will be used to:

• Create an integrated system of education, training and supportive services that promotes skill attainment and career pathway development for low-income, low- skilled workers leading to employment in green industries.
• To support Nevada’s statewide energy sector strategy including the governors’ overall workforce visions, state energy policies and training activities that lead to employment in targeted industry sectors.
• Build and strengthen partnerships dedicated to building a skilled clean energy workforce.
• Develop new partnerships with other agencies receiving Recovery Act funds to support strategic planning and implementation efforts.

Key partnerships in Nevada for this grant include:
Nevada’s Energy Office; Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE); Local Workforce Investment Boards (workforce Connections and Nevadaworks); K – 12 Education System principles; Apprenticeship Trade Unions and Non-Unions; Nevada Commission on Economic Development; Community-Based and Faith-Based Organizations; Veterans; State Agencies and most important, private businesses, i.e., NV Energy and Southwest Gas and others.

Several Human Resource professionals grouped together on Thursday, January 7th, to attend the Recruiting Best Practices Workshop that was held at the Greenspun Media Group/Recruiting Nevada office located in Henderson. The topic of discussion was Employer Branding. Companies shared information collectively to find employment branding areas that are successful for their company during this rough economy. Overall the general consensus was that positive and negative employer branding can have an impact on how companies are represented in the Las Vegas job market when Las Vegas starts to rebound from the recession.

Throughout the year Greenspun Media Group/Recruiting Nevada will continue to host workshops to develop and share ideas that are considered best practices in the Human Resource industry for 2010.

If you are interested in attending the next workshop please register for the next Recruiting Best Workshop: Social Networking, The Ins and Outs of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The workshop will develop the basic skills needed to create a presence on social networking websites.

Unique collaborative approach brings together nursing and medical students from UNLV, NSC and School of Medicine

“Photo by Edgar Antonio Nunez/University of Nevada School of Medicine.”

A state-of-the-art health care training and simulation lab that is shared by three higher education institutions officially opened in Las Vegas last week.  The Clinical Simulation Center (CSC) is a 31,000 sq. ft. facility where nursing students, medical students and medical residents are educated together in an environment that allows for integrated training of future health care providers. 
 
Students from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Nursing, Nevada State College School of Nursing, and University of Nevada School of Medicine began training in the facility earlier this fall.  The CSC provides state-of-the-art health care education equipment throughout the five high-fidelity simulation labs, three clinical skills labs, a surgical simulation suite, twelve standardized patient rooms, and four multipurpose classrooms. The entire facility is integrated by an all-encompassing Audio-Video management system.
 
This collaborative center is part of the Health Sciences System (HSS) of the Nevada System of Higher Education, which is working to ensure Nevada has a highly trained health care workforce to meet the state’s current and future needs.  The HSS provides academic leadership and guidance to link and integrate the health professional schools, i.e., nursing, medicine, dental, public health, etc., that are part of Nevada’s eight higher education institutions.  This includes 150 health sciences programs and nearly 18,000 students attending a state college or university.

“The center, both technologically and through collaborative design, is ideally suited to prepare our students for today’s complex healthcare system,” said Carolyn Yucha, dean of UNLV’s School of Nursing. “The simulation technology available rivals the very best facilities in the region and will strengthen students’ critical thinking and decision-making skills in a safe and controlled environment.”
 
Dr. Miriam Bar-on, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the University of Nevada School of Medicine said, “the simulation center is a wonderful opportunity to take training of residents and students to the next level. They will be better prepared to provide safe and effective care to patients following learning experiences in the various areas of the center.”

Dr. Shirlee Snyder, Dean of the Nevada State College School of Nursing said, “the CSC will provide outstanding learning experiences with cutting edge technology for nursing and medical students to learn clinical judgment skills in an interdisciplinary setting.  The ultimate outcome is improved health care for the citizens of Nevada.  Definitely a ‘win-win’ situation.”

Dr. Maurizio Trevisan, Executive Vice Chancellor and CEO of the Health Sciences System added, “You are witnessing first hand a concrete example of the power of an integrated approach and the value of working together as a higher education system.  With this facility, we are able to more efficiently and effectively educate students in the health professional fields.  Our nursing and medical students will be highly qualified and trained for their future role as health care providers.”
 
The CSC facility was built with nearly $16 in state funding.  Also recognized at the event today for helping fund the project, was U.S. Senator Harry Reid who provided nearly $2 million in federal funding to support the Health Sciences System and the CSC facility and the Lincy Foundation for providing a $5 million grant to the Health Sciences System.

We all know the power of internships….especially in economic downturns when managing human capital is so important.  UNLV will be hosting a great seminar presenting “Best Practices in Internships” Fall 2009 Employer Workshop at UNLV.  The seminar will be presented by Paul Carpino, UNLV Internship Coordinator.

A few special guest speakers will be on hand, including: 
Student Speaker, Ryan Foytik, DC Summer Intern, Sen. Harry Reid
Employer Speakers: Shawnie McLaurin & Brent Losee, NV Energy

Be sure to register for the event:
Tuesday,October 27th, 2009
8:00 am to 11:00 am
UNLV Student Union

Please register today on the CareerLink site below under “News & Events”
Fee: $50 per person, includes Continental Breakfast, parking and “The Employer Guide to Internships.”

http://hire.unlv.edu

Almost every profession has some level of training required for a new employee to become proficient and contribute to the overall mission of the business.  Some training may only require a few hours (if you are caulking windows) while others may require several years (if you are a physician within a particular specialty area such as oncology).  Regardless, training is always required. 

Where some challenges arise are with new college grads that are “paper ready”, but may not have the technical skills.  This is particularly challenging in a clinical setting such as nursing.  And when there is a high-demand for this particular profession, it makes it even more challenging.

The health care industry recently realized that as we have the second highest nursing shortage in the country, our new grads are not finding jobs.  Nursing jobs are out there….but only for a nurse that can hit the floor running (or I guess I should say nursing).  So in the meantime, the production of skilled professionals seems to be working, bu the intake is not.  And if we do not correct the problem, Nevada will become an exporter of talent.  We cannot afford to do that. 

So a group of health care leaders have been getting together to try and solve this problem. What it will require is a bridge solution.  That bridge is nothing more than a financial bridge.  We need to find someone to fund that nursing new grad to go from ‘paper ready to clinically ready.’  It will be a challenge, but at least we know what the problem is.

“How Employment Branding can increase the ROI of recruitment and retention”

This will be the topic of the September 15 meeting of the Nevada Recruiters Association.  The meeting will be held here in the offices of the Greenspun Media Group, in “The Strip” conference room.  If you have not seen our facilities, it is well worth attending the meeting just for the view.  Our main conference room delivers one of the most breathtaking views of the Las Vegas Strip.

Enough about the conference room…..here is what is important:

Workshop Seminar Topic:
Talent Management Collaboratory “How Employment Branding can increase the ROI of recruitment and retention.” Here’s your chance to be the session rather than just attend one! Lizz Pellet, author and globally recognized expert in organizational culture, EVP and employment branding will select participants throughout the program to deploy employment branding diagnostic services – live.

This session is not for the shy, but rather for HR, talent management professionals and recruiters who want to share and learn about corporate culture, employment branding best-practices and quantitative diagnostic tools available. Lizz will share simple and effective ways to understand what a company is saying about their culture and more importantly – what they are not saying and how to leverage that in the recruiting process. Be chosen as one of the individuals who will be featured in this program and participate in a live “Brand Scan” of your website and corporate career site.

Speaker Bio:
Lizz Pellet, CEO of EMERGE International and Fellow from Johns Hopkins University is the author of Getting Your Shift Together Making Sense of Organizational Culture and Change – Introducing Cultural Due Diligence. Her second book, The Cultural Fit Factor – Creating an Employment Brand to Attract, Retain and Repel the right employee is being published by SHRM in July 2009.

Lizz is a recognized national conference speaker and has presented over 60 professional learning sessions in the past three years. EMERGE International is a California based consultancy firm dedicated to improving the ROI of organizational culture, employment branding and transformational change efforts. In 1998, Lizz developed the Cultural Health Indicator™ (CHI), a validated organizational culture diagnostic instrument. In 2007, she introduced the Brand Enhancer, a comprehensive solution that combines culture and employment branding. The Brand Enhancer supports organizations attract and retain the “right” employees and repel those that just won’t fit. Lizz is currently working on supporting organizations to create a Sustainable Human Resource function that saves money and saves the planet.

Seating is limited to 50.  RSVP here.

Conference will offer career networking opportunity and focus on the real life challenges of women

LAS VEGAS – June 5, 2009 – The Women of Color Conference returns to Las Vegas Tuesday, August 11, 2009, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. A forum for professional development and networking, the conference will feature nationally recognized speakers and subject matter experts.

For the first time this year, the conference will also offer participants an opportunity to meet one-on-one with career coaches to discuss career challenges and opportunities. 

“Given the current economic environment and job market, we believe the opportunity that this year’s conference presents will be particularly relevant,” said Debra Nelson, MGM MIRAGE Vice President Corporate Diversity and Conference Chair, “The career coaches will help interested participants identify and define their strengths in an effort to enhance their productivity at work and in the job market.”

Since its inception in 2007, the conference has been hosted by the Asian, Urban and Latin Chambers of Commerce.  This year, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce is participating in the conference for the first time as a host.

“This premier event is thoughtfully designed and committed to helping women achieve their very highest potential.  We are delighted to be on board this year,” said June Beland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Women’s Chamber of Commerce. 

“This conference fulfills the need for dialogue among people of all ethnicities, professions and social backgrounds,” said Debra Nelson, MGM MIRAGE Vice President of Corporate Diversity and Community Affairs.  “It will feature experts who will address real life challenges in fields such as finance and career development.”

The 3^rd Annual Women of Color Conference is sponsored by MGM MIRAGE, American Family Insurance, IBM and NV Energy.  Sponsorship opportunities for your company or organization are still available. 

The registration fee for participants is $75 and the reduced registration fee rate for students is $60.  Registration includes the full conference and all workshops; a networking reception, one-on-one career coaching sessions, and the Empowering Our Future Luncheon.

For information about sponsorships and registration, please visit www.lvwomenofcolor.com.

Incidents of workplace violence are on the rise fueled by the difficult economic climate.  You are invited to attend a FREE seminar:

When:  June 2, 2009, 7:00-8:45 or 9:00-10:45
Where:  Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, 6671 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
To RSVP please contact Jason Porter at: Jason.Porter@ci-pinkerton.com or call: 702-691-3326

This in-depth seminar on workplace violence will address the current deadly trends emerging in today’s difficult world and the methods, techniques, and technologies that can help to limit your company’s exposure to the liability.

This free seminar will give you the information and tools to help protect yourself, your employees and your company.

There will be two sessions to choose from both will have 15 minutes for networking & provided continental breakfast and the presentation will last approximately 90 minutes.

When you RSVP please indicate which session you want to attend.  To RSVP please contact Jason Porter at: Jason.Porter@ci-pinkerton.com or call: 702-691-3326

About the presenter:

Robert L. Dodge CPP, VP West Region Pinkerton C&I
Mr. Dodge has been involved in security, investigations and security consulting for nearly 18 years. His experience includes stints with a large Multinational High Tech Corporation as a Corporate Investigator. He has worked for contract investigation firms providing investigation and security consulting services on a global level to corporate clientele.

His security experience includes working with American Protective Service, and the Securitas Group. In his current role as VP Western States he is responsible for managing Pinkerton’s operations for the Western US and client needs globally. He has conducted and managed numerous Workplace Violence investigations and security details for Workplace Violence threats. He has operated on security & investigative projects in more than 50 countries around the world. He has special expertise in corporate investigations and risk/vulnerability/threat assessments.

The inaugural meeting for the Nevada Recruiters Association was a huge success.  Over 65 recruiters from the private and public sectors attending the first meeting held at the Renaissance Hotel.  Recruiters represented great organizations such as Las Vegas Valley Water District, CityCenter, Ameristar Gaming, State of Nevada, The Signature at MGM Grand, Wyndham Resorts and many, many more. 

Dave Mendoza did a fantastic job of educating everyone on the power of LinkedIn and shared some tricks on how to optimize your network.  Then everyone was able to enjoy a few cocktails poolside at the Renaissance.  Some had the opportunity to meet and chat with Gerry Crispin, of CareerXRoads.  Gerry has firm understanding of the recruitment marketplace and is a well recognized speaker at many of the HR and recruiting events in the country.

And of course….many thanks go out to Thomas Licari for organizing the event.  The Nevada Recruiters Association has been needed for some time.  We have professional associations for human resource professionals, compensation & benefits folks, risk management and everything in between.  But until now, we have not had a place for recruiters to get continuing education or a venue to network.  Thanks Thomas – we will do all we can to ensure that the Nevada Recruiters Association is a continued success. 

If you missed the event – don’t worry, there will be more.  Get to know some of the members today – www.nevadarecruiters.org.

Belonging to a professional association is one of the most important components of personal development.  As human resource professionals, most of us belong to SHRM or a niche association such as ASTD, SNCBA, SNHEP or SNIPMA (now that’s a lot of acronyms).  But for those of us who specialize in recruiting, there has never been a professional association that offers any real level of continuing education.  Until now…..

I would like to introduce you to the Nevada Recruiters Association (NVRA).  By now, you have probably received a few invites to attend the inaugural meeting and training seminar.  NVRA comes to us from the folks that have successfully operated the Illinois Recruiters Association for many years.  Recruiting Nevada was approached to become a title sponsor of the group…and, of course, we like to support any worthy cause or organization.  This surely fits that bill.

If you have not taken the time to register for the April 29th event, you will want to do so now.  I understand there are just a few tickets left.  So sign up and come check out what NVRA is all about.  We hope to see you there. 

Register Online