Truckee Meadows Community College officials, armed with a $500,000 check from International Game Technology, on Wednesday announced a new manufacturing technology course starting this fall.
"Because Nevada is one of the few states with manufacturing a growth sector, we thought it important to develop this," said Philip Ringle, TMCC president. "We can't grow unless there's a skilled workforce. As the (manufacturing) field changes, we can help provide new skills and technology."
Ringle said TMCC expects as many as 20 students to enroll this fall, with numbers possibly doubling each semester after that in pursuit of a one-year certificate or a two-year associate applied science degree in manufacturing.
The donation from Reno-based slot machine maker IGT, the largest manufacturer in Nevada, will help that company as well as others in keeping Nevada's economy strong, said Tony Ciorciari, IGT executive vice president of operations.
"Manufacturing methods are much more complicated," he said at a news conference at TMCC's IGT Applied Technology Center, which opened in 1999 on Edison Way in east Reno.
"It gives our community the ability to compete in the world markets," he said.
Chuck Alvey, CEO of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, said nearly one-half of prospective companies his agency assists in moving to the region are manufacturers.
"So this program is critical to what we're doing," Alvey said. "This gift will provide job skills that raise the bar."