The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) and several other northern Nevada companies are hosting a booth at the WE Local Conference at the San Jose Marriott Hotel in San Jose, California on February 24-26, 2017. This activity is part of EDAWN's expanded role to address workforce development and attraction in the Greater Reno-Sparks.
The Society of Women Engineers members from in and around Silicon Valley can take advantage of the learning environment of SWE's national conference which took place in Philadelphia in October, without leaving the Bay Area. WE Local brings together the best engineers and leading organizations to connect collegiate and professional attendees through educational workshops, networking and professional development. EDAWN will be joined by representatives from Panasonic, Aerion and Reno Engineering to promote Northern Nevada as a place for engineering professionals to pursue careers in mechanical, electrical, industrial, aerospace and civil engineering.
There are over 300 engineering jobs currently open in the Greater Reno-Sparks, spanning multiple industry sectors including aerospace, clean energy, manufacturing, logistics, and technology. SWE is a great event to spread the word about our region's career opportunities for engineers and graduates," said Valerie Cotta, Program Manager for Workforce Development at EDAWN.
To ensure that professionals outside of Nevada are aware of the growing diversity of career opportunities, EDAWN has several marketing campaigns in the works, including participation in industry events, social media, radio and billboard advertising. The San Francisco Bay Area is a key target of these efforts because of the large number of employees looking to avoid California's high cost of living, improve their quality of life, and have access to an active outdoor lifestyle while remaining in the West.
In addition to attracting talent from outside the region, EDAWN encourages local primary companies to develop relationships with and support the University of Nevada College of Engineering and Truckee Meadows Community College Applied Industrial Technologies program, both of which are preparing future workers for jobs in emerging sectors. 'We absolutely need to keep our local graduates here, to fill the current and growing need for workers with technical expertise," said Nancy McCormick, Vice-President Retention, Expansion, and Workforce Development at EDAWN.
