Night school is almost as old as the American desire for upward mobility itself, but the economic trends that define the business growth in this region and elsewhere are giving it a fresh impetus and a new look.

Both young workers and mid-career professionals whose skills need updating — or are transitioning to another field — are driving demand for local knowledge providers. Regionally and nationally, for-profit and nonprofit institutions are pitching their programs to serve a growing market of students. In many cases, these students are heavily into their professional futures — especially those pursuing MBA degree programs — thanks to the partial financial backing of employers, student loans or their own savings.

Knowledge partners also are a key component of a larger plan helping grow the economy. “A strong higher education system is critical to ensure we have a quality, skilled and welltrained local work force to meet the needs of companies doing business in Northern Nevada or looking to do business here,” says Chuck Alvey, president/CEO of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada. “A world-class work force is something we’re striving to cultivate through the Target2010 economic planning initiative.

“Our higher education and research and development partners elevate the regional economy by providing a talent pool of graduates who are needed to fill high-wage, highly skilled positions as well as cultivating an entrepreneurial climate that will drive longterm economic growth in the region.”

For many career professionals pursuing educational goals, the ideal job is the one they have now. But more and more often, either they or their employers have decided that they need to upgrade skills to do it better. It seems the days of getting by solely on the basis of talent, performance and dedication may be in the past.

Locally, adult business education programs are aimed at helping the current work force to keep skills current. Community colleges here and elsewhere have stepped up admirably by creating customized training programs — funded by employers — and offered at worksites. A good number are short-term, single-purpose courses to increase the skill set of adult workers who are serving the state’s emerging and growing industries.

Nationwide, it’s a similar picture. According to the Commission of Lifelong Learners, a partnership of business, labor, education, government and philanthropy, 75 percent of current workers will need significant retraining in the next decade. Indeed, work force training currently is estimated to be a $35 to $40 billion annual industry in the U.S. Since 1990, more than 60 percent of businesses report that the amount of formal education they provide employees has increased, Commission reports reveal.

In Northern Nevada, providers such as the University of Nevada, Reno, University of Phoenix, Morrison University, Truckee Meadows Community College and others vie to stay top of mind with consumers as learning organizations keeping up with market trends and other economic forces.

While these educational entities differ in curricula, time commitments, categories of students and instructional philosophies, common themes emerged: they all seek to serve the adult continuing and professional education market in ways that are both relevant and convenient.

In this issue, we profile three local knowledge providers, focusing on their leaders, the educational products they offer and the trends driving their futures. We also spotlight supportive employers and instructors.

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A year and a half ago when Tammie Stockton decided she was going to complete her master’s degree once and for all, the University of Phoenix seemed the only viable option. Stockton did not want to quit work as an elementary school teacher or take a leave of absence to attend school full time. “Neither of those things could I afford to do,” says the youthful mother of five, two of whom are still living at home. She simply could not afford to forfeit a steady income stream and health care benefits.

To earn a master’s degree in education, Stockton has been attending UOP one evening a month for 18 months. This made-to-order class schedule isn’t the only aspect about the school that appealed to Stockton, who already has a job waiting for her as dean of students at Pine Middle School.

She says her fellow students share her passion for excellence in educational administration; many are assistant principals and key management personnel at schools in Fernley, Yerington, Reno and the Lake Tahoe region. In addition to the academics, “The other students have made it a productive experience,” she says. She especially enjoys the fact that her classes emphasize presentation skills. “To be a confident speaker in a group of adults, that’s a very strong component,” says Stockton of her mature, seasoned classmates, who are mostly in their late 30s and up. “You pay a little more for smaller classes, not a lecture hall with 100 people,” says Stockton, who figures she spent $18,000 to $20,000 for her education, which involved taking out a student loan.

At the end of the program, she figures the money was well spent in terms of career enhancement and a higher salary schedule. “You can’t lose by investing in yourself,” she adds.

And don’t even get her started on the “facilitators,” the University of Phoenix designation for professors. “They are walking the walk and talking the talk,” says Stockton of instructors who are generous with career direction and advice. The minimum requirements for UOP facilitators are fulltime employment in a relevant industry, and a master’s degree or higher to lead interactive classroom experiences.

She cites Greer Gladstone as an example of a facilitator who incorporates real-world issues into classroom discussions and lectures. Gladstone has been with UOP for nearly 10 years and has racked up almost 30 years as a teacher and administrator. Like all good teachers, Gladstone is both inspired by and learns from her students. “They are getting jobs like you wouldn’t believe,” says Gladstone, clearly impressed with the accomplishments of a recent class of budding administrators.

“It’s been phenomenal,” says a vibrant Gladstone about her teaching experience at the University of Phoenix. “Coursework is relevant, applicable and hands-on for day-to-day careers,” she says, summing up her learning goals, a vision shared by her colleagues and the university’s pioneering founder, John Sperling.

Indeed, University of Phoenix touts the real-world experience of its faculty. “It’s one of the biggest selling points,” says Derick Cole, campus director of the Reno campus and the proud recipient of two Phoenix degrees. While the affable 36-year-old Cole declined to reveal current enrollment figures and projected numbers, he disclosed that the institution has about 125 facilitators and 30 full-time employees. “We have a goal to grow as the economy continues to grow,” says Cole, keeping his strategy close to his vest.

One new area he did discuss is the expansion of Phoenix’s enrollment base to more than just working adults. [The age requirement used to be 23]. To that end, he says the local campus has enrollment advisers on staff to attract younger students. Beginning this January, students can enroll “in more traditional liberal arts” majors such as communications and psychology. And growing is important to the Phoenix bottom line. UOP’s parent company, Apollo Group, is a publicly traded company, counting 300,000 students on its enrollment roster and a host of concerned shareholders. Apollo has a $2.7 billion revenue estimate for 2006. It is the single largest private institution of higher education in the U.S., with 90 campuses and 150 learning centers.

While shareholder value is a key business concern, Cole says degree programs that help people enter the teaching field or move up the teaching ladder are helping the Northern Nevada economy in many ways. Indeed, he’s part of the solution through his membership with EDAWN’s Business Builders. The group interviews local companies to identify opportunities and challenges in doing business.

Clearly, education — at all levels — is on everyone’s top 10 list.

“We’re very proud of our education program and [number] of placements,” says Cole, talking about a profession facing a staggering number of baby boomer teacher retirements in the next five years.

In terms of majors, undergraduate and graduate classes in business management still attract the largest number of students at the Reno campus. While the bulk of the student body is enrolled in bachelor degree programs, enrollment is equally strong in the “high demand” MBA program. Both are supported by education-friendly corporations, says Cole. Some of the local companies are IGT, Washoe Medical Center, Harley Davidson Financial, Lyon County, Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and Intuit.

And demand shouldn’t abate any time soon. The National Association of Colleges and Employers says those with MBAs hold the job market’s top-paying positions, with starting annual salaries as high as $120,000.

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Mike Rainey and his staff reflect one of the most dynamic trends in post-secondary education: working adults needing to keep up in a world where old skills seem to melt faster than ice cream on hot pavement, and new ones are not just desirable, but crucial. This is especially true in Northern Nevada, where a flood of companies are relocating to the state and hometown manufacturers are hard pressed to develop and retain a skilled work force.

Rainey’s education “product” is the world of work force development and continuing education. As such, Rainey’s employer, Truckee Meadows Community College, served nearly 5,000 customers in the fiscal year ending June 30. These students took part in customized training, professional development, industrial safety, workplace language instruction, computer technology and career development courses, says Rainey, dean of the work force development division. “We assist as [a company’s] adjunct training department,” he says of the division’s role, which he describes as entrepreneurial.

In recent years, his staff has worked hard to identify new market niches so the division can be selfsupporting. “That’s the business side,” says Rainey. The result: Enrollment increased 20 percent in the past year for credit and non-credit classes. Most clients are in the 100- to 300-employee range “That’s 15 percent of the work force in Northern Nevada,” says Rainey.

Customized training clients include PC-Doctor, Inc., Washoe Health System, EE Technologies, Barnes and Noble, Haws Corp. and the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. On a related note, TMCC recently announced a new manufacturing technology course starting this fall. The program is being launched thanks to a $500,000 check from International Game Technology.

“Because Nevada is one of the few states with manufacturing as a [strong] growth sector, we thought it important to develop this,” says Philip Ringle, TMCC president. “We can’t grow unless there’s a skilled work force. As the (manufacturing) field changes, we can help provide new skills and technology.”

Ringle says TMCC expects as many as 20 students to enroll this fall, with numbers possibly doubling each semester after that in pursuit of a one-year certificate or a twoyear associate applied science degree in manufacturing.

The donation from Reno-based slot machine maker IGT, the largest manufacturer in Nevada, will help that company as well as others keep Nevada’s economy strong, says Tony Ciorciari, IGT executive vice president of operations.

“Manufacturing methods are much more complicated,” he says. “It gives our community the ability to compete in the world markets.”

EDAWN’s Chuck Alvey says nearly one-half of prospective companies his agency assists in moving to the region are manufacturers. “So this program is critical to what we’re doing,” Alvey says. “This gift will provide job skills that raise the bar.”

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In fall 2005, enrollment in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno exceeded the 2,000 market for the first time in its 50- year history. Graduate enrollment increased more than 22 percent from the previous year, partly due to the new distance MBA program now being offered in Douglas County, which has attracted 32 new students working toward a master’s in business administration. The MBA at UNR is a part-time program, a fact not lost on working professionals who like the convenience and affordability. The estimated total cost of the evening program is “slightly over $10,000,” says Kambiz Raffiee, associate dean and director of graduate programs in the college. “All MBA classes are kept under 35 students in order to ensure superb academic work,” says Raffiee, who methodically lists countless benefits of enrollment with professorial thoroughness. He cites the breadth of scholarship, professors who publish, networking contacts, scheduling flexibility. “First and foremost, we work with the pace of their lives and work,” says Raffiee of the students.

One strength he frequently harkens back to is the fact that both undergraduate and graduate business education programs rank high by the Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business. Of the estimated 1,200 schools of business in the U.S., only 169 have full accreditation. “We are very pleased that UNR is one of those 169 schools,” says Raffiee, who joined the college in 1983 as an assistant professor of economics.

Professors and students weren’t getting much of a break this summer as they raced to finish an eight-week session — offered on four evenings per week — in supply chain management, one of the many “pockets of concentrated excellence” to which Raffiee frequently alludes. For many of them, the goal is to wrap up the program in two to three years.

One student in the class already holds a degree in civil engineering, but wants the business degree because he has entrepreneurial goals. When he takes stock of his career, he doesn’t see security; he sees change.

He’s the living embodiment of the you’re never- to-old-to-learn mantra that is sweeping corporate America these days, says Raffiee of the student. “Someone might look at his résumé and figure he’s already pretty well set career-wise. But he wants to go to the next level. He wants to bring greater value to his employer and it makes him more marketable elsewhere. Knowledge is the key.”

Because of Northern Nevada’s prominence in logistics and distribution, Raffiee says the college is “in the earliest stages” of exploring the launch of a doctorate program in management, probably with a supply chain focus. He also envisions a full-time MBA program on the horizon.

Going forward, Raffiee says one of the best outcomes for the college is affirmation from an important customer — the business community — on how well the college is delivering on its mission. “We’re not taking anything for granted,” he says. “There’s always room for improvement.”

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Although it’s not usually the first thing a prospective employee asks during a job interview, most are aware of continuing education programs existing within potential Northern Nevada workplaces.

“We’re proud of the opportunities we provide for employees,” says Julie McGuire, vice president of human resources at Saint Mary’s Hospital. Like other larger employers, Saint Mary’s, with a staff numbering about 1,700, has a tuition reimbursement program — up to $1,250 annually.

“Everyone can utilize it and can work towards a degree at any accredited institution like Truckee Meadows Community College, the University of Nevada or the University of Phoenix, among others,” she says.

Courses must aid in current or future jobs at Saint Mary’s, McGuire says; however, like its counterparts, Saint Mary’s doesn’t require its workers to sign a contract to remain employed. But, she says, continuing education appears to be extremely helpful when it comes to retaining and recruiting. In addition, employees who avail themselves of the programs find that learning about new technologies and new ideas within their fields provides an added boost to furthering their careers at Saint Mary’s.

Bill Parsons, director of organizational development at Washoe Medical Center, says his hospital has strong partnerships with such entities as the Orvis School of Nursing at UNR. Additionally, TMCC and the University of Phoenix are two schools where many professionals at Washoe Med receive advanced degrees. Although Parsons didn’t specifically state the amount of tuition the hospital pays, he says there is a designated dollar allocation within the budget for continuing education.

According to Parsons, Washoe Medical Center, with an employee roster of 4,600, deems continuing education at all skill levels vital. “We believe it’s important to have our employees understand the connection between the work they do and the larger economic issues in terms of maintaining and gaining market share when it comes to delivering excellence. We’ll [contribute to] different amounts and degrees of education depending on which level of employee they are,” Parsons says.

In addition, Washoe funds off-site conferences geared to employee development. Managers and supervisors in such areas as nursing and nutrition services may receive more complex education based on business operations; front line leaders and various other employee groups participate in courses specifically related to their work.

Currently, Washoe is building an online e-learning resource for specific administrative, clerical or patient care functions.

“It’s good business practice to have employees who are highly competent and current,” Parsons says. “I think employee education is a business imperative. Employees see the programs as a chance to develop their skills — most people realize that development of skills is essential in today’s labor market and to career success.”

Like Saint Mary’s, Washoe Medical Center requires no employment contract; however, Parsons said educational programs add incentive to stay on the job and invoke loyalty to an employer. “It shows that we’re committed to investing in them,” he says.

If education is significant within the private sector, it’s also important to the public sector.

Steve Englert, director of human resources for Lyon County, says his department has a policy to reimburse education as long as it’s job related. “It’s done on a department-level basis — each one has a budget which varies from year-to-year.”

While the county doesn’t pay for college degrees, it may pay for job-related courses for full-time employees approved by a department head. Englert believes education incentives are valuable in a tight labor market. “It’s part of the benefit plan,” he says. But the bottom line in Lyon County, it seems, is lack of sufficient dollars to spend on auxiliary educational incentives.

Another government entity, the State of Nevada, has a 17-month leadership program funded by the Legislature. It’s open to all public servants including those at the city, county, state or federal levels. Forty slots are designated for state employees at no cost; others must pay the going rate of $2,400 per person.

Dubbed the Certified Public Managers program, this is a nationally accredited course with a goal of developing world-class leaders in the public sector, says Patricia Hoppe, program administrator for the State of Nevada’s Office of Employee Development. “The exciting thing is we graduated 37 public managers in the last year, and state employees pay no money for the classes.”

Hoppe says graduates must apply what they learn. “They must be able to demonstrate results. They must complete a quality improvement project showing how they make government run more efficiently.

“This is one of the best things I’ve seen. People tell me it has changed their lives,” says Hoppe. “I believe educational opportunities differentiate you as an employer from another who doesn’t offer continuing education. People may not spend education dollars on themselves, but if an employer pays for education, that’s a huge benefit in my opinion.”