CCSN shows off center to train Vegas tech workers

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2000 | 11:07 a.m.

On the day after Congress moved to increase the number of foreign high-tech workers allowed in the United States, the Community College of Southern Nevada showed off its own plan to produce skilled labor in a variety of technological fields.

The Engineering Technology Department at CCSN's Cheyenne campus opened up its labs and encouraged students to consider technology career opportunities at a reception Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, government leaders and school administrators trumpeted how the program will help diversify the state's economy. And Sprint, which sponsored the event and has contributed more than $500,000 for a telecommunications lab on the campus, had representatives that met with students about an internship program that places 10 students a year in the field.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, who discussed how the technological boom in telecommunications is changing how Nevada companies work, said the transformation is attracting new companies, making the state less dependent on the resort industry.

CCSN officials hope the new companies -- and existing companies that need more high-tech expertise -- will come to them instead of importing foreign talent.

"This demonstrates what a tremendous need there is," said Robert Silverman, interim president of CCSN. "We've never been afraid of competition and this will keep us focused on doing our best to meet the need."

Hunt said the move by Congress to allow more foreigners to get six-year work visas is proof of American industry's need for skilled labor, so she's convinced CCSN's program is gaining momentum at just the right time.

One company poised to take advantage of CCSN's efforts is Sprint, which also has a sizable investment. Sprint, which began its partnership with the school a year ago, has provided state-of-the-art equipment for hands-on learning in the classroom.

Sprint officials know that putting their equipment in classrooms will give them an advantage when it comes to hiring. The relationship also enables Sprint an opportunity to pick the best students for its 10 paid internships.

Lou Emmert, vice president and general manager of Sprint in Las Vegas, said four of the 10 interns taken on by the company stayed with Sprint when the internship ended. And by sponsoring Wednesday's event, Sprint personnel managers were able to pitch the internship program to prospective students.

But Sprint isn't the only company benefitting from the program. CCSN graduates also have been hired at mPower (formerly MGC Communications) and XO Communications (formerly Nextlink Communications Inc.), two Sprint rivals in Southern Nevada, said Warren Hioki, associate dean of engineering technology at CCSN.

Clark Peterson, vice president and general manager of XO Communications in Las Vegas, said the CCSN program is a great resource for Las Vegas, especially since well-trained employees are hard to come by. The Greenspun family, owner of the Las Vegas Sun, owns a minority stake in XO's Las Vegas operation.

Peterson said XO's employee base is growing at a rate of 30 percent per year and the company has invested $80 million building out a 600-mile digital fiber-optic network to meet business telecommunications needs.

Hioki said engineering technology students also have landed at Bechtel Nevada, Cox Communications, Titanium Metals Corp., Nellis Air Force Base, IGT and Ethel M Chocolates.

Enrollment in engineering technology has climbed from 150 students in the spring 1995 semester to 1,075 this fall. The school offers Associate of Applied Science degrees in telecommunications, electronics, slot repair and networking technology as well as certification in fiber optics, computer troubleshooting and repair and a Certified Network Associates designation from Cisco Systems.

San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco is another corporate contributor to CCSN, offering its own hardware systems in a lab that bears its name. Also, slot machine repairs are taught in a classroom with about 15 machines donated by Alliance Gaming Corp.'s Bally Gaming and International Game Technology.

Hioki said if more corporate participation occurs -- or if administrators can coax the state for funding -- CCSN wants to add digital subscriber line training, specialization in wireless communications, semiconductor fabrication, structured cabling, television production and sound systems, robotics, laser technology and solar energy systems.