CSN Division of Workforce & Economic Development Receives Skill Boss Manufacturing Machine Valued at $25,000

A new tool donated to the College of Southern Nevada’s Division of Workforce & Economic Development will help local job seekers obtain the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly crowded job market. CSN received a donation of  a  Skill Boss Manufacturing: MSSC CPT Plus Certification & Assessment from Klein Educational Systems. The machine, housed at CSN’s Sarah West Center, is valued at $25,000 and tests proficiency in more than 66 skills commonly utilized in manufacturing trades. The donation was made by Ken and Linda Baxter.  

CSN President Federico Zaragoza explained the impact the donation will have on workforce development in Southern Nevada. “My appreciation and thanks go to Ken and Linda Baxter for this generous donation,” he said. “It supports our commitment to workforce and economic development.” 

The assessment tool and certification are expected to serve as a bridge to high-paying manufacturing jobs. “We know that the jobs of tomorrow will go to those who are prepared to fill them,” said Zaragoza. “This donation allows us to certify in-demand manufacturing skills to help diversify the workforce ecosystem of Southern Nevada.”  The tool will help produce a skilled workforce with nationally recognized industry certifications.  

Manufacturing is expected to contribute to the diversification and transformation of the state economy on the heels of the COVID-19 global pandemic. “I witnessed first-hand how advanced manufacturing education can transform a community,” said Zaragoza. “I have seen indications that Southern Nevada is on a journey towards diversification.” He noted that manufacturing is the fastest growing industry in the state and leads an expanding list of industries considering the benefits of operation in the Silver State.  

Modern manufacturing jobs require a workforce trained to perform a variety of complex technical tasks. Employers need skilled technicians with an ability to understand, assess, and troubleshoot in the moment. The tabletop Skill Boss Manufacturing: MSSC CPT Plus machine offers a significant advantage over older, alternative assessment methods and helps students obtain industry certification for manufacturing skills.   

“Technicians manage an entire manufacturing cell that is carrying out multiple processes using many machines for just one product,” said Joe Russo, Regional Sales Manager for Klein Educational Systems. “In a single manufacturing cell, there may literally be hundreds of different points of failure that may cause the cell to stop unexpectedly and cause financial loss.”  

“There are over 600,000 jobs left unfilled, just waiting for a skilled workforce,” said donor Ken Baxter. “We are here today because we realized there was a great need to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. This tool helps assess the skills needed for those jobs.”  

CSN Programs Director Belkiss Rodriguez spoke about the significance of the donation. “The CSN Sahara West Center is in the heart of the community,” she said. “It is the first of what we hope will be many CSN facilities that provide access to this type of critical job training.”  

Rodriguez said that the average earnings impact of one entry-level manufacturing position is over $68,000 annually. “This equates to $2 billion in regional gross earnings for the community and it is only the beginning,” she said.  

Jaime Cruz, Executive Director of Southern Nevada’s Workforce Development Board, Workforce Connections explained the impact to workforce development in the region. “This donation is timely and important,” he said. “This is what we need to tell the story of how these jobs will transform our community. We are proud to have Ken and Linda Baxter in this community.” 

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