UNLV program connecting Nevada high school students to careers in computer science kicks off second year

09/19/2024

By Lorraine Longhi, Communications Coordinator, National Institute for the Advancement of Education (NIAE)
Sept. 19, 2024

By pursuing a career in a field where women and girls are underrepresented, Vera Lee is hoping to close the gender gap.
Lee, a senior at Coronado High School, is part of the second cohort of Tech Ready Rebels, a yearlong UNLV program that gives Nevada high school students the opportunity to learn skills in information technology, computer science, and cybersecurity.

“I do like that the gender gap is slowly closing,” Lee said of the technology field at large. “There’s more opportunities and I’m glad to be a part of it in any way I can.”

During the program, students will earn college credits, network with industry professionals, earn internships and gain real-world work experience in the fields of IT and computer science.

At an orientation for this year’s students held Saturday at the College of Engineering’s Advanced Engineering Building, UNLV President Keith Whitfield told students the program was a jumping off point for students to be able to investigate and understand what their interests are.

“In our lives, there are these incredible moments,” Whitfield said. “Sometimes a moment doesn’t last just a second or hour a day. It can last a whole semester.”

MGM Resorts International recently donated $120,000 towards the program’s operations for a second year. The program is a continuation of the IT Workforce Talent Pipeline Project and originally funded through the Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT).

The university’s College of Engineering also hired a permanent mentor to support this year’s cohort as they take their college courses at UNLV.

Dr. Xue Xing, the project’s lead and an associate professor of career-technical and postsecondary education at UNLV’s College of Education, said the program’s flexibility and adaptability allows students to choose which skills and certifications best match their career aspirations.

“UNLV is your partner on this journey,” Xing said. “We believe in providing you with not only the technical skills but also employability that will propel you toward your dream career.”

Students needed to be a junior or senior in any Nevada high school, enrolled in the Information Technology Career Cluster or taken at least one IT-related coursework, and had a 2.0 unweighted grade point average (GPA) or higher to be eligible.

Roughly 100 students applied for the program in its inaugural year, and 29 were ultimately accepted and enrolled. This year, out of 59 applicants, 25 students were admitted.

Marc Hosana, a senior at Sierra Vista High School who graduated from the program last year, is now a peer fellow mentor for current students in the program. Hosana said he was excited to supplement the program by facilitating additional communication among students throughout the year and help them with their time management.

“I was in their position one year ago. Now I’m here,” Hosana said. “It’s done so much for me, and I wanted to do the same for the new cohort.”

The content of this article is produced in collaboration with the faculty, research, practitioner, and community partners featured herein and the National Institute for the Advancement of Education (NIAE), an interdisciplinary institute housed at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) College of Education that engages in interdisciplinary research-practice-policy efforts that transform PK-20 education through innovation, excellence, evidence, and equity.

For more information about NIAE, visit niae.sites.unlv.edu.