The new program came about after big tech firms Google and TalentSprint reached out to the university late last year. Months later, UNR is rolling out a new class called TechWise. It’s designed to prepare students for high-growth careers in the technology sector.
The university is the first higher education institution to offer the TechWise program. UNR Vice President Jeff Thompson helped spearhead the collaboration.
“Google believes that our students have the potential to be Googlers, as they call them, and they want to give them the opportunity. Our students of color, our students from different economic backgrounds have all the potential, have all the ability. And now they’re going to have the resources,” Thompson explained.
Within one week of being announced, more than 170 students applied to TechWise. As a pilot program, only 20 have been accepted.
TechWise is one out of four new industry programs being offered at UNR. Another is a logistics program that’s being fully funded by ITS Logistics, a supply chain solutions company based in Reno-Sparks.
ITS has partnered with UNR’s College of Business to focus on supply transportation learning. ITS President Mike Crawford says the company and UNR want this to be the start of building a new workforce pipeline.
“I think that’s a big part of the program, is making sure that there’s lots of opportunity for these students, not only with ITS but in this community and neighboring communities,” Crawford said.
UNR will also be offering new industry-focused programs on insurance and risk management, real estate and sports management.
Kennedy Vincent is a senior studying at the Reynolds School of Journalism.
As a note of disclosure, the Nevada System of Higher Education owns the license to this station.