A new online program developed by UNLV’s Leaderverse Initiative and the Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation will offer online coursework and upskilling for people unemployed, underemployed or looking to change careers.

Success@Work is a flexible, self-paced development plan that provides entry-level programming for people new or returning to the workforce, those looking to leverage their skill set and knowledge into better employment and others, said Becky Harris, distinguished fellow in Gaming and Leadership in the UNLV Office of Economic Development.

“We’re providing them with essential education and skills that are required by most employers,” Harris said. “The premise behind it is that we would have employees who are ready to start—that don’t require additional training. … They would come to the workplace already knowing what’s expected, what they need to do, so that the employers can train them on the specifics of their job, rather than on training them how to be an employee.”

With its hard launch this month, Success@Work joins two other programs by the Leaderverse Initiative: WomenUp, which is designed for women underrepresented in the workforce who aspire to be part of an executive team, and the Management Acceleration Program, an employer-driven and on-site training for emerging leaders.

Success@Work is a unique program in that it not only prepares someone for their career but also gives them the confidence and strength to move forward, said Kara Abe, program chief for the Employment Security Division (ESD) in the Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation (DETR), which provided a $500,000 grant to fund Success@Work.

“Everyone needs that opportunity to build up that confidence so they know they can go out there and achieve their goals,” Abe said. “This program really promotes that, and it helps build that strength within a person who may feel kind of defeated or may feel like they have no resources or no drive to improve their situation or improve their job prospects.”

There’s a lot of opportunity in the program for both employees and employers, said Reba Sardari, contracts manager at DETR.

“Every time we skill someone and provide additional training to give new skills to someone, we are impacting the person themselves, the employer that they work for and (the) overall health of our workforce in the state of Nevada,” Sardari said.

Success@Work is significant because it has programming for anyone at any stage of their career seeking to achieve their employment goals, said Harris, who heads up the Leaderverse Initative.

“Post-pandemic, with the rise of technology, the workforce has transitioned and traditional notions of what employees should come to your place of employment already knowing are in flux and in transition,” she said. “So this is an attempt to help potential employees gain the necessary skills to step into their job day one and be successful—to be recognized as someone who is ready to meet the challenges of the employment.”

There are three modules available, covering basic skills needed to enter the workforce, how to navigate the workplace and succeed in management roles. Each module costs $60 and offers six classes online, Harris said, so participants can move at their own pace.

The 18 total asynchronous courses are taught by a diverse roster of instructors, including: Eileen Moore Johnson, strategic adviser to the Vegas Loop for the Boring Company; Amy Pourciau, global learning and talent development leader at Light & Wonder; and more. They also include input from the UNLV business college and employers from out of state, Harris said.

“We’re just working to help people get sustainable jobs with livable wages, so they can provide for their families,” she said, emphasizing that the program is not limited to Southern Nevada. “And we’re trying to do that in as impactful and cost-effective way as we possibly can.”

John Parel, ESD deputy administrator for workforce at DETR, said the program’s mission to move people into “great, paying, secure” jobs aligns with the department’s own goals.

“We want them to succeed and get into careers that they enjoy and are fulfilling, and pays the bills,” Parel said. “And so that helps our communities, our state and in getting people into careers that they may not have even thought of. This program, it opens doors for folks.”

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