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Workforce Pilot Program: Pilot Program

About the Pilot Program

It’s never too late to learn more about what motivates you and the careers that match your lifestyle.

That's the idea behind he Nevada CareerExplorer powered by Headed2, now available to library members in Las-Vegas/Clark County, as well as in Henderson, Boulder and North Las Vegas. The Nevada CareerExplorer is a free website made possible by the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Behind the CareerExplorer’s bright and engaging interface are some of the most extensive career databases available today, including a range of self-assessments from O*Net, over 900 occupations, real-time job listings from Direct Employers, certification and graduate education profiles and more.

The Nevada CareerExplorer is available to all Nevada library cardholders. While library members can perform a traditional job search, our system goes much further.  Users of the site are encouraged to create an account and try one of the self assessments in the “Discover Possibilities” section, such as the Interest Explorer, which helps you better understand what your interests are and how they connect to the world of work.

Another great feature of the Nevada CareerExplorer are its career “cluster profiles” which show how in-demand a given set of occupations are, how many opportunities are available and the average salary. As Users explore more through the system, the system is able to intelligently suggest new career and educational opportunities in the personalized “Career Hub”.

The Nevada CareerExplorer is a breakthrough initiative that brings an extremely valuable resource to Southern Nevada’s library members.  Visit nv.headed2.com today and register for an account. All you need is your Nevada library card!

At a glance...

  • Who? Workforce development is for everyone--from high school students looking to establish a career trajectory to those looking to switch career paths later in life.
  • What? The Nevada State Library, Nevada Workforce Connections, and Headed2 have joined forces to deploy workforce development and training programs focused on helping Nevadans achieve the next level in economic success--all you need is a free library card!
  • When? We are up and running in Clark County! Stop by one of the participation libraries tro find out more.
  • Where? Currently, there are 9 locations at libraries in southern Nevada--but this is only the beginning! Keep an eye out for the expansion of this project in a library near you.
  • Why? Nevada is in need of a strong, dynamic workforce. By combining efforts, Nevada Career Explorer and libraries are able to provide one-stop hubs where all 

What is the Nevada Career Explorer?

The Nevada CareerExplorer is a free website made possible by the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Career Explorer is a place to find not just a job, but a career you’ll love.  Explore over 900 careers, countless educational and certification opportunities, or learn more about yourself and the careers made for you by taking a self-assessment.  The CareerExplorer is designed to help you better understand yourself, what you want out of work, and what kinds of jobs you’ll love.  From there it layers in critical local and statewide data, including Nevada’s in-demand industries, sectors, careers, and pathways, to help inform an actual plan to get where you want to go.  Visit nv.headed2.com today and register for an account.  All you need is your Nevada library card!

About the Pilot Program

Value for Nevadans:

The easily understood, well-curated and well-displayed research database is designed to promote local labor markets and training opportunities for: 

  • Nevada’s priority industries and career clusters

  • To highlight the necessary corresponding credentials and certifications

  • Point people to local and statewide workforce development resources and employment opportunities

Value for public librarians and library partners: 

  • The tool provides powerful supply/demand analysis and reporting, helping staff provide timely career coaching, and

  • Provides customized referral process for each partner through partner profiles and local opportunities network.

  • Provides customized reporting modules for each partner.

Uniqueness:

  • Library card as the “identifier”

    • Custom content based upon zip code/library geo-code

  • Promote local opportunities

  • Occupation search using WorkKeys

  • Individual career action plan and work weadiness checklist

  • Personalized Career Hub (intelligent recommendations)

  • Smart LMI for users

    • Sector profile pages

    • Supply/demand reporting

Target groups:

  • Young adults (typically between 16 – 24) may or may not be in school, may or may not be working

  • Individuals with personal challenges to work

  • Adults in need of basic skills (typically less than a high school diploma or high school graduates in need of remediation)

  • Workers seeking career changes or advancement

  • Transitioning military (and spouses)

Performance metrics:

  • User measures - Awareness of (1) Self and (2) Resources:

    • Site visits

    • Accounts created

    • Users who take at least 1 assessment

    • Users who participate in library career navigation class (many things will influence this metric)

    • Catch and refer - referrals to partners

    • Survey (required per LSTA grant)

  • Library staff measures - Ability to build career information collection and serve as reference service:

    • Understand goals and objectives

      • Survey tool

    • Acquire content - number of partner profiles (acquire content)

    • Measure number of marketing mentions, ex. Direct mail, email, social media, library website, displays in library

    • User engagement - number of career navigation classes face-to-face

    • User measures report - documentation of career navigation skills obtained

    • 5 question survey (per LSTA grant requirements)

Targeted industry sectors:

  1. Aerospace and Defense
  2. Health Care and Medical Services
  3. Information Technology
  4. Manufacturing and Logistics
  5. Mining and Materials
  6. Natural Resources
  7. Tourism, Gaming, and Entertainment
  8. Construction

HOW SOUTHERN NEVADA WILL USE THE CAREEREXPLORER POWERED BY HEADED2:

  • Scale career pathways

  • Scale career pathways the culminate in credentials of value

  • Implement work-based learning

  • Integrate education, workforce and economic development funding streams

  • Ensure cross-institutional alignment, e.g. adopt policies and processes across partner programs/institutions regarding career pathways and smooth transitions.

  • Promote in-demand career pathways

WIOA CO-LOCATION AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES NEEDS (From Irene):

  • Navigation in place at all libraries

  • Cross-training amongst the required partners

  • Established a referral process, ex. Make an appointment from a Partner Profile

  • Outreach plan to assist co-located partners in the library

  • Customer flow design for each library location

  • Approved operating procedural manual

STATE AND REGIONAL ALIGNMENT:

State - OWINN Goals:

  1. To improve the effectiveness of the State of Nevada’s career guidance system and raise awareness about different ways to access career pathways.[1]
  2. To improve access to career pathways - an aligned system of training programs, credentials, support services, and workforce preparation activities that help an individual enter or advance within a given occupation or industry sector.[2]
  3. To provide a website that is centralized and user friendly, contains a comprehensive set of career options, and allows users to sign-up to receive reminder notifications regarding career planning progress and employment opportunities.[3]
  4. To provide a forum for sustained employer outreach to educational institutions so partnerships are formed that expose students and educators to their company’s careers, skills, and salaries.[4]
  5. To improve marketing strategies and awareness of industries, addressing expressed concerns over misconceived perceptions about them and the need to better market those industries to support employee recruitment.[5]

Regional - Workforce Connection Goals:

  1. To design and implement career exploration activities for in-demand skill sets and occupations across all of Nevada’s key industry sectors identified by the Governor’s economic development plan.[6]
  2. To connect employers/businesses to well trained, educated and qualified individuals for employment; to create a dynamic supply of trained, skilled workers to meet workforce demands of regional and industry sectors.[7]
  3. To develop career pathway initiatives focused on the highest growth/highest wage industry sectors in the local area.[8]
  4. To engage and connect youth with career path and employment training opportunities relevant to the identified industry sectors.[9]
  5. To expose youth to STEM skill sets, occupations, training and career pathways through interactive career exploration tools; to partner with educators, employers and community organizations to increase exposure for youth to the necessary skills of the future workforce.[10].
  6. To  partner with local employers to promote youth career preparedness and exposure through work-based learning opportunities.[11]
 

[2] Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation in Nevada website (retrieved September 14, 2017 at: http://gov.nv.gov/OWINN/Career-Pathways/)

[3] “Connecting Nevada’s Young Adults to Training and Employment: Perspectives from Nevada’s Young Adults and Employers”, Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation in Nevada (OWINN), November, 2016 (retrieved September 14, 2017 at http://gov.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/govnvgov/Content/OWINN/ConnectingYoungAdultsToEmploymentOWINN-2016.pdf.

[4] Ibid

[5] “Cross Sector Council Report: October 10, 2016”, OWINN, October 16, 2017 (retrieved September 14, 2017 at: http://gov.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/govnvgov/Content/OWINN/SectorCouncil/CrossSectorCouncilReport_10_2016.pdf)

[6] “Workforce Connections’ Four-Year Local Plan for Southern Nevada’s Workforce Development Area, Effective July, 2016 - June 30, 2020”, SNWC, (retrieved September 21, 2017 at http://nvworkforceconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/WC-Four-Year-Local-Plan-Executed-and-Searchable-July-2016-June-2020.pdf

[7]  Strategic Work Plan Goals Matrix, SNWC (retrieved on September 21, 2017 at http://nvworkforceconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Strategic-Work-Plan-Goals-Matrix-5-1-17.pdf)

[8] Ibid

[9] Ibid

[10] Ibid

[11] Ibid

Pilot Partners:

  • Four (4) library districts in the region, 10 of 25 public libraries, # cardholders

  • One (1) community college with 3 campuses

  • Co-location of WIOA-funded programs at 10 library locations (1 HQ, 8 career centers, approx. 50 program providers, 5,000 WIOA participants)

  • NC Labs

Beyond the pilot (additional partners in pilot region):

  • 1 school district, 664 schools, 327,000 students, 15,100 teachers

  • 12 colleges and universities

  • Plus, Boy and Girl Scouts, Goodwill, AARP, United Way, Chambers of Commerce, faith-based organizations, etc.

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