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Sandoval: Curriculums at colleges need revamp
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CARSON CITY -- The curriculums of Nevada's community colleges and universities must be revamped to provide students the skills they need to secure high-paying technology jobs, Gov. Brian Sandoval said Monday.
The governor made the comments after an hourlong closed-door meeting with executives of several high-tech firms, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and legislative leaders of both parties in the Legislative Building.
He said Nevada "can immediately" align higher-education curriculums to meet the skills needed by high-tech companies.
"I will talk to the presidents of universities and community colleges to identify what you all need," said Sandoval during a short news conference after the meeting.
He and legislative leaders have called creating jobs the No. 1 priority of the state, which has a 14.5 percent unemployment rate, the highest in the nation, and leads in bankruptcies and foreclosures.
In response to the governor's statement, Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Dan Klaich said community colleges, in particular, are trying to design their curriculums to meet the needs of business and the state's goal of economic diversification.
But he said in an interview this is difficult to accomplish when Sandoval proposes to cut state spending for colleges and universities by $162 million.
Klaich said the state's community colleges are "quite nimble" in changing programs to deal with business needs but cannot make changes overnight.
"We are looking at where we can scale back," Klaich said of the proposed budget cuts. "It certainly would be very difficult to start up new programs while the kinds of budget cuts being proposed are on the table."
Following the meeting with Sandoval and legislators, GE Energy executive Paul Miner said his company -- which has facilities in Minden and North Las Vegas -- sees an "equal need" for an educated work force and a business-friendly tax environment. The company employs about 800 workers at its Minden plant where it makes electronic parts and equipment used to monitor and improve the efficiency of power plants. In North Las Vegas, it has a transportation facility.
Capgemini executive Kevin Doyle said his company had to hire out-of-state workers because it could not find people with necessary skills in Nevada. Capgemini is working on a business portal website for the secretary of state. The France-based company offers Internet technology and outsourcing services to companies around the world.
Doug Couto, a Citrix executive, said one does not always need a college degree to acquire a high-tech jobs, but a specific set of skills that can be provided by community college courses.
Citrix is a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based company that offers desktop, software and other types of computer services around the world. It has done work for the Regional Transportation Commission in Las Vegas.
Like Sandoval, Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said it would not be difficult to make sure community colleges and universities provide the skills needed by high-tech companies.
"We need to provide training in areas for 21st century needs," Horsford said. "It is a message that has to be sent to higher education."
Nevada for decades has been ranked by the Tax Foundation as having one of the most business-friendly tax climates. But that has not induced many high-tech firms to locate in the state.
For 2011, the Washington, D.C.-based education association ranked Nevada as the fourth-best business climate, trailing South Dakota, Alaska and Wyoming.
"I don't know the answer," responded Couto when asked why high-tech firms have not sought out Nevada because of its favorable tax climate for business.
But Horsford said the responses given by the high-tech executives help "reinforce what we know," that the state needs an educated work force to go with its record of offering low business taxes."
Sandoval reiterated that he is still taking numbers of business executives and calling chief operating officers to try to interest them in moving to Nevada.
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.
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The best education anyone can get is through hands on training. Universities only employ an army of professors, and instructors who rake in healthy six figure salaries. Besides, most graduates today are being told that they'll have to look for work overseas. We only have a small service based economy. How many college grads do we need for that?
cut all pay for these so called teachers professors ect
education sucks the life out of real people who actually produce something
Time to gut all pensions as wel;l
low level parasitcal scum
*** WARNING *** RJ benefits from JOA. Government censorship rules in effect. *** WARNING ***
Doug Couto, a Citrix executive, said one does not always need a college degree to acquire a high-tech jobs
I'm not sure what Citrix was doing at that coffee klatch. Citrix is a *real* private sector company. It doesn't need to brown-nose bureaucrats for favors. It diminishes itself by doing so. Nevertheless, Couto is absolutely correct when he observes that a college degree is often unnecessary to find a high-tech job -- or one at any other true private sector firm for that matter. So what's all this jive about higher education representing the "future" of this state?
Frank.Daniels is a shill for NSHE.
The constitution mentions establishing a state A&M university on lands donated by the federal government for that purpose. The site were the lands were, in fact, donated happened to be in north RENO, probably because of it's proximity to GOP-controlled private lands.
The "university" was originally just three UNR departments -- Ag, Mining and Eng, with a fourth one (Mil Sci) in the wings. Over the years the Legislature expanded the University to what we now know as NSHE, but that doesn't mean that all of our colleges are "equal". In particular, those 3+1 UNR departments were given a perpetual funding mechanism. Funding for the other colleges was left to the discretion of the Legislature, which could vote to NOT FUND THEM AT ALL.
Interesting article. The governor however should know the preferred plural to curriculum is curricula, not curriculums.
Perhaps he should enroll in an English class at CSN. They need the headcount under his draconian budget.
Anya is incorrect. The constitution nowhere mentions a college in Reno. All of higher education is referred to collectively in the constitution as "the university." UNLV, the State College, the community colleges, and the research institute are all part of "the university." The distinction in titles only indicate the separate missions that the branches of NSHE have.
Of the top ten growth industries identified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one is technology-related. Four are related to health professions. None are directly connected to energy, although energy could certainly be a growth industry. Restaurants and places like Wal-Mart are expected to grow more rapidly than companies like GE.
Now, Nevada's unemployment rate apart from the construction industry is in the 9-10% range -- the national statistic. Building Wal-Marts and restaurants might be a better long-term investment. Even so, if GE is going to hire, then I say let's get some people trained.
The Nevada constitution authorizes a university in Reno, NOT UNLV AND NOT COMMUNITY COLLEGES. State-funding for basic university to UNR only. ELIMINATE HIGHER ED FUNDING.
GE Energy executive Paul Miner said his company -- which has facilities in Minden and North Las Vegas -- sees an "equal need" for an educated work force and a business-friendly tax environment.
Another GE guy shmoozing for government contracts. Their CEO is a poster boy for corporate welfare. I think GE was a Sandoval campaign contributor.
This GE division was founded and built by a world-class scientist and entrepreneur named Donald Bently, who heroically set up shop in Minden. Wiki says he sold out to Government Electric in '02.
I wonder what Don thinks of the politics of higher education?
What a joke !!!! CSN just hired a guy at 80k to teach gunsmithing ? this curriculum has never been approved ......................No matter what Governor Sandoval or Chancellor Klaitch do or say ,the Colleges and Universities will always sneak this stuff in ( anyone check on the hiring process on this one ( ex problematic employee and friend of Vice President Devine a gun enthusiast ) again what a joke !