As competition for highly skilled workers heats up across the country, the importance of identifying workforce needs is greater than ever.
This is why a regional partnership led by the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance has released an updated Workforce Blueprint to highlight the top in-demand occupations here in Southern Nevada. Among the top 10 in-demand jobs are software developers, engineers, managers and nurse practitioners.Tina Quigley, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance says now, more than ever, it’s important we have a ready workforce to fill these jobs.
“The first thing an employer will ask is, you have all these great things here in Nevada, but where am I doing to get my employees,” Quigley said.
This is where Workforce Connections comes in. The organization connects employers to a ready workforce through a network of One-Stop Career Centers. Executive Director Jaime Cruz says it has long been a dream in Southern Nevada to have a more diverse economy, one that’s not just based on two industries.
"This way more employers will be attracted to our region," Cruz said. “It’s imperative for us, as a region, to diversity if we are to prosper and remain competitive. Workforce Connections gives people the opportunity to obtain the skills needed to fill some of the most in-demand jobs in Southern Nevada.”
The 2022 Workforce Blueprint is the first blueprint produced for Southern Nevada since the start of the pandemic. With the impact COVID-19 has had on the state's economy, the blueprint investigates how recent economic shifts have impacted the region's workforce.
"I think we've done relatively well on the journey to diversifying our economy, but I think we still have a long way to go as the pandemic proved two years ago," Cruz said.
When COVID hit, Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in the United States, and the hospitality industry that has long sustained our economy was the hardest hit during the pandemic.
After so many people working in the gaming industry lost their jobs, many have turned to other career opportunities. The blueprint identifies the jobs expected to be in greatest demand in the coming years and provides recommendations on scaling educational and training solutions to meet this demand.
Quigley says we need to align the industry needs with our education forces, our training forces, our development forces and our higher education forces. 'This makes for a perfect recipe for being able to grow and diversify the economy here in Southern Nevada," Quigley said.
Along with listing the top in-demand occupations, the blueprint provides recommendations for regional leaders to implement, including: addressing workforce needs and adapting training programs to re-skill displaced workers and place them into new roles; Illustrate the opportunity for in-demand jobs with high economic mobility; communicate the value of transitioning into a new career for potential employees; and define and communicate a shared diversity, equity and inclusion policy for the region.
"I think we've done well; we've moved the needle," Cruz said. "Who would have thought we would have companies like Tesla in our state, Haws automation and Switch?"
The LVGEA created the 2022 Workforce Blueprint in collaboration with Workforce Connections, The Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Vegas Chamber, the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Chamber of Commerce and the Latin Chamber of Commerce.
You can view the full list of top 100 in-demand occupations and the Workforce Blueprint by visiting www.workforceblueprint.org.