LibGuides: Individual Career Mapping: Conferences

2025 The Modern Learning Conference

February 24-25, 2025

Reno, Nevada

The National Modern Teacher Conference in Reno highlights groundbreaking advancements in education, with a strong focus on workforce development and career readiness. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) proudly partners with Churchill County School District Superintendent Derlid Parsons, Churchill County High School's Work-Based Learning Coordinator Dr. Sue Segura, and GOED's Senior Workforce Librarian-in-Residence Tammy Westergard, MLS, CWDP, to showcase the transformative power of Individual Career Mapping (ICM) when combined with paid student internships. Dr. Segura’s innovative community programming, which has flourished over the last three years, has played a pivotal role in shaping these successful workforce outcomes, reinforcing Nevada’s leadership in modern education and student career preparedness.

Work-Based Learning: The nuts and bolts of establishing a
successful program for students.

Presenters:

Dr. Sue Segura, Work Based Learning Coordinator, Churchill County School District

Derild Parsons, Superintendent, Churchill County School District

Tammy Westergard, Senior Workforce Development Librarian-in-Residence, Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development

In this hands-on presentation, we explore effective strategies for establishing meaningful partnerships that support student career goals and create paid internship opportunities. These initiatives not only empower students to achieve their dreams but also contribute significantly to the economic growth and prosperity of our communities. Our focus includes actionable steps to:

Boost enrollment in trade schools and community colleges.
Facilitate pathways to high-paying, in-demand careers. Together, we examine how to build a framework that bridges education, industry, and economic development, ensuring sustainable outcomes for all stakeholders.

2024 17th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (iCERi)

November 11-13, 2024

Seville, Spain

Two members of the team behind the groundbreaking work presented at the 17th Annual iCERi Conference (Mark Andersen and Tammy Westergard), led by Karsten Heise, GOED’s Senior Director of Strategic Programs and Innovation.

Pictured (clockwise from the top):

Karsten Heise, GOED’s Senior Director of Strategic Programs and Innovation
Tammy Westergard, MLS, CWDP, Senior Workforce Librarian-in-Residence
Mark Andersen, Lifeliqe Co-Founder, and Michal Mizerak, Lifeliqe Product Leader
John McLeod, Director of XRLibraries and a member of the Individual Career Mapping team (not a co-author of the paper)
Ansley Fender, GrantCycle
Michelle Rebeleati and Jahairy Rivera, GOED contractors

Revolutionizing Career Exploration: How Simulation and Immersive Technologies are Boosting Labor Market Literacy Rates in Nevada's Individual Career Mapping Methodology™ (ICM) Framework

Presenters:

Tammy Douglass-Westergard, MLS, CWDP,

Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development

Senior Workforce Librarian-in-Residence

Certificate of presentation

Mark Andersen, President and Co-Founder

Lifeliqe

Paper Citation:
M. Andersen, A. Fender, K., Heise, M. Mizerak, M. Rebaleati, J. Rivera, T. Douglass-Westergard (2024)
Revolutionizing Career Exploration: How Simulation and Immersive Technologies are Boosting Labor Market Literacy Rates in Nevada's Individual Career Mapping Methodology™ (ICM) Framework, ICERI2024 Proceedings, pp. 7339-7348.

At the 17th Annual International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation (iCERi) in Seville, Spain, nearly 900 global leaders from academia, K-12 education, and workforce development gathered to discuss the future of work and the role of education in preparing individuals to navigate complex job markets. Under the leadership of Karsten Heise, GOED’s Senior Director of Strategic Programs and Innovation, Tammy Westergard, GOED’s Senior Workforce Librarian in Residence, represented Nevada’s innovative approach to workforce development through the Individual Career Mapping (ICM) methodology. Joining her was Mark Andersen, Co-Founder of Lifeliqe, a key collaborator in developing the program's immersive virtual reality components. Together, they presented insights on how ICM equips individuals, particularly from underserved communities, with essential labor market literacy skills through Lifeliqe’s VR simulations and a computational thinking assessment from NCLab.

Key Features of ICM™ include:

Virtual Reality Simulations: Lifeliqe’s immersive VR field trips allow participants to explore industries like healthcare, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing, bridging gaps between learning and real-world applications.
Computational Thinking Assessment: Tools developed by NCLab evaluate STEM-related skills, including problem-solving and procedural thinking, preparing participants for high-demand careers.
Community-Driven Partnerships: The Individual Career Mapping Methodology™ (ICM) introduces a Librarian-in-Residence model, with the Carson City Library and North Las Vegas Library District being the first in Nevada to host this innovative "train the trainer" approach. This partnership is designed to advance professional development more effectively by anchoring state-level initiatives at the local level. Librarians-in-Residence equip community partners to implement the ICM methodology independently, using library resources like virtual reality content and the computational thinking assessment. This model ensures that the state gains valuable insights into local workforce needs, while municipal libraries benefit from state-level resources, processes, and innovations, creating a stronger connection between statewide strategies and on-the-ground implementation.

Access to Industry Insights: Participants gain detailed information about Nevada’s high-demand industries, career competencies, and pathways, enabling informed decisions about their professional futures.
Tammy Westergard, Senior Workforce Development Librarian-in-Residence at the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and Mark Andersen, President and Co-Founder of Lifeliqe, stood in front of the iCERi Conference banner after their successful presentation on the innovative Individual Career Mapping methodology. Post-presentation surveys from approximately 27 participants revealed that 100% learned something new, and 80% indicated they would bring this presentation to their organizations.

Tammy Westergard, Senior Workforce Development Librarian-in-Residence at the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, discusses the innovative Individual Career Mapping methodology during an interview with leadership at the 17th Annual iCERi Conference.

Date: November 12, 2024
Location: Seville, Spain

Tammy Westergard, Senior Workforce Development Librarian-in-Residence at the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and Mark Andersen, President and Co-Founder of Lifeliqe, stand in front of the iCERi Conference banner following their successful presentation on the innovative Individual Career Mapping methodology.

Key Highlights from the Presentation Surveys:

100% of participants reported learning something new.
80% indicated they would bring this presentation to their organizations.

Date: November 12, 2024
Location: Seville, Spain

Click images to enlarge

2024 Nevada Lithium Circular Economy Conference

April 8 and 9, 2024

University of Nevada, Reno

Panelists

Karsten Heise (GOED)
Kim Harrell (TMCC)
Chris Reilly (Tesla)
Fred Steinmann (UNR)
Moderated by: Tom Simpkins (Manufacture Nevada)

Workforce & Economic Development to Recharge Nevada" is a key workshop to bolster Nevada's economy through the Recharge Nevada initiative. This initiative focuses on developing a sustainable, inclusive economy centered on lithium battery lifecycle and critical materials. It brings together research institutions, community groups, and public stakeholders to foster a region where development practices, innovation, and research support a circular lithium economy. The goal is to create an economy that benefits all Nevadans, promoting sustainable mining and clean energy storage technologies. The panel features experts like Karsten Heise (GOED), Kim Harrell (TMCC), Chris Reilly (Tesla), and Fred Steinmann (UNR), moderated by Tom Simpkins (Manufacture Nevada), discussing strategies to advance Nevada's role in the advanced energy storage sector.

2023 Nevada Mining Association Annual Convention

Developing the Workforce of the Future

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Visualizing the World of Work because there is Dignity in Work

Panelists

Tammy Westergard, Senior Workforce Development Leader / Project SANDI, Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Sam Spearing Workforce Development and Mining Center of Excellence, Great Basin College
Jason Bubba, CEO, NORCAT
Moderator: Dale Erquiaga, Former Acting Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education

Bringing immersive technology to today’s labor crisis, a panel discussion of workforce professionals specializing in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) virtual reality and other cutting-edge simulation tools. At a labor force participation rate of 60.7%, Nevada ranks 34^th in the nation. Join subject matter experts for a session about developing the workforce in Nevada and learning about community-led efforts to reskill and upskill Nevadans through the distributed network of Nevada’s public libraries using immersive educational technology. Nevada System of Higher Education’s Acting Chancellor, Dale Erquiaga, moderates a compelling discussion with former State Librarian Tammy Westergard from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development coordinating Project SANDI; Dr. Anthony “Sam” Spearing, Executive Director of the proposed Mining Center of Excellence and Workforce Development at Great Basin College and Jason Bubba Chief Operating Officer from NORCAT which offers skilled labor training and development and mining technology and innovation.

The session's guiding question is: How can we help develop the workforce in an age of automation?

The Modern Learning Conference