State workforce office showcases virtual-reality career "field trips" at Carson City Library

Representatives from the Governor's Office of Economic Development presented an individual career-mapping program and a set of virtual-reality (VR) career "field trips" to the Carson City Library Board of Trustees on March 13, 2025, demonstrating both browser-based access and headset use and describing statewide pilot work with underserved populations.

Tammy Westergaard, senior workforce development librarian in residence with the Governor's Office of Economic Development, told the trustees the program combines immersive simulations with industry-recognized credentials and community partnerships. "We currently have 35 of these field trips available," Westergaard said, and she added that another 16 experiences were being built.

The presenters said the VR modules are designed to raise labor-market literacy, let users explore daily work activities and required skills, and tie directly to short-term training. Westergaard described how the VR simulations can act as course companions for credential programs: for example, she said the dialysis technician VR simulation aligns with the coursework at the College of Southern Nevada and can shorten the time students need to become familiar with equipment and procedures.

Westergaard also discussed how the program supports preparation for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC, often marketed as WorkKeys). "That certificate is considered a work-ready certificate," she said, adding that the VR tools are used for applied-mathematics practice while licensed materials are used for workplace forms and graphic literacy study.

Trustees and staff tried headsets during the meeting. The presenters described how headsets can be checked out by enrolled students to use at home during a course, or the VR content can be accessed on a PC, tablet or phone. They said cohorts have been run in Jackpot, Winnemucca and other communities, and described participant populations targeted by the pilot: reentry individuals, people in temporary housing, rural residents and other difficult-to-reach groups.

Westergaard said the pilot is small and staff-intensive: the residency team has documented outcomes and is planning a public dashboard. She noted the program team is three people and cited staffing as a constraint on scaling. "We are way too thin," she said, summarizing the resource limits facing statewide deployment.

The trustees asked about employer engagement, union pathways and distance-learning constraints for healthcare credentials that require clinical hours. Regarding distance learning and programs that require in-person clinicals, Westergaard said, "Well, if the training program itself is set up as a distance learning program, then it doesn't become a problem." She and colleagues cited the College of Southern Nevada and local employers as partners in matching participants with training and jobs.

Presenters identified measurable goals for the pilot: cohort completion, NCRC performance and employer reports about the readiness of candidates. They said a cohort of roughly 32 people across the state was preparing for proctored NCRCs at the end of the next month and pointed to prior successful outcomes in Jackpot, where some participants achieved high NCRC scores.

The demonstration highlighted program materials and a public website maintained by the Governor's Office of Economic Development; presenters said the site lists available field trips, videos and contact information.

Ending: Trustees thanked the presenters and said the library will continue to work on hiring and training local staff to operate and scale VR career services from the library's side of the partnership.