Technology : The New Wave of Education
Educational statistics
In October 1998 the U. S. Census Bureau reported that nationally
• 82.8 percent of all adults ages 25 and over have completed high school
•
24.4 percent
have completed a Bachelor's degree or more.
A computer class at the Ansari Business
Building, Photo by Stacy McCarthy
Unfortunately the Nevada statistics do not match quite as
well.
Although the State of Nevada Web site boasts a 40 percent graduation rate, the state Census rates differ. The Nevada high school graduation rate falls around 22 percent.
Michael Graham, director of development for the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, was quick to qualify the Nevada high school graduation statistic. He thought that 40 percent was high, but said that Nevada's high transient population is what contributes to the low statistic. Many people move away from Nevada before they have a chance to graduate.
Opportunities in the College of Business
The College of Business is working with students, faculty, and the community, not only to attract business growth to Reno, but also to continue producing high quality graduates.
"Companies like the work ethic of our students," Graham said. More than 100 recruiters visit UNR and many graduating business students leave Reno for bigger opportunities elsewhere.
The College of Business had it's largest growth in student enrollment in years, which was up 17 percent this year. The college is continuing to meet technology needs by installing new computer facilities. Nevada Bell donated the funding for a Telecommuting lab that Graham describes as "cutting edge." It is a collaborative work environment that will be an aid in teaching students how to telecommute.
But are the faculty prepared? In a national survey reported in the Chronicle of Higher Education, said "40 per cent of the senior information-technology officials...said helping reluctant faculty members bring technology in to their teaching was the hardest part of their jobs." Graham describes the faculty in the Business Department as anything but wary of technology. He thinks the faculty is adequately prepared for technology and excited to use it as a teaching aid.
The rise of technology in Reno
Renee Loheed, branch manager for Eastridge Infotec, describes technology as a "huge market" for Reno. Eastridge is a technology staffing agency that has been in Reno for almost a year in that time business has taken off.
"I am pleasantly surprised by the experience and skills of the people in Reno," she said.
She said upper-end jobs, such as programming positions, are always more difficult to fill. Eastridge does not offer training; it is a fee-based mediator between a client and employee. Often times employees use the service as a means for confidentiality. In a small town such as Reno, Loheed said employees often want to keep their job search confidential.
Recently Eastridge placed an add in the San Jose Mercury News, and received more than a hundred phone calls of technical workers interested in relocating to Reno. Loheed says that about 60 percent of Eastridge clientele is already located in Reno, and about 40 percent are those interested in relocating.
Eastridge mainly works with corporations, dot com companies, and startups. Loheed emphasizes that employees want to be stimulated by what is new, and casinos do not offer that.
Graham and Loheed agree--technology is vital to the economy of Reno. Reno cannot compete with the gaming in Las Vegas, and the only way to survive is to diversify the economy. Yet even with diversification of the economy and new companies, Nevada is an economy largely based on service and jobs that are not "high tech." In 1999 Nevada Census reports that out of 40,828 firms in Nevada, 15,273 are service firms.
"JOIN"
Job Opportunities in Nevada (JOIN) focuses on empowering people to learn how find their own jobs. JOIN did focus on job training, but it is publicly funded and recently lost half of its funding. Now it acts as a career center where clients can search for jobs on the Internet, as well as get access to computers, printers, paper, fax machines and telephones at no cost. Clients are eligible by their income, many of whom already receive government relief.
"We're a little behind the times," Renick said.
Many agencies in the Bay Area have technology to scan resumes into computers and search by key words for a job match. JOIN does not yet have that.
What Renick has noticed is an increase in warehouse technology. Clients are usually applying for positions in service, clerical or warehouse. She says there has been an increase in robotics. Many warehouse jobs now use a lot of scanning, and assembly lines that require less manual labor.
"I'd say 90 percent of people who come to JOIN say 'I want to learn about computers.' They think it is the wave of the future," Renick said.
Unfortunately many clients do not have a broad enough background in computers to do this. Many get discouraged because they are expecting JOIN to give them a job.
Education and opportunity
Yet even if people receive computer training, much of the information becomes obsolete within a short amount of time. At the 1998 Governor's Economic Development Conference, William Wiggenhorn, president of Motorola's training division, spoke on the importance of keeping employees up to-date with technology skills. He emphasized that training is more important than college degrees. Technology is fast pace and tech information becomes obsolete just as fast. Although training in technology is important, degrees last a lifetime. Graham describes education as a broad base for thinking, to concentrate only on training would be shallow and restrictive.
As the fastest growing state in the nation, Nevada is changing rapidly. It is important to keep the workforce up to date with change, which means keeping people educated.
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Related sites: Millennium Scholarship Fund Form |
Recently steps toward improving the rate of high school students who go on to college were taken. Gov. Kenny Guinn introduced the Millennium Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is available to students who graduate in the class of 2000 or later, and is only available for use in Nevada. Students with 3.0 grade point average who pass Nevada proficiency exams and have been a resident for two years of their high school education are eligible. Hopefully once these students are educated there will be significant job opportunities within the state.
Feburary 12, 1999 copyright
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