Finding a job after graduating from college can be a challenge. A new program at the University of Nebraska-Omaha aims to make that transition easier.The Skills Lab gives students the opportunity to gain experience that employers are seeking out.Jacylan Doering is in her final year of graduate school at UNO.”I’m currently working in HR and I definitely would love to continue a career in HR focused in employee relations, employee wellness, change management,” Doering said. Soon, she’ll have a collection of digital badges for skills that are needed in the workforce. She’ll be able to show the digital badges on her LinkedIn, resume and e-mail signature. “I just think those badges are a very good way to clearly define certain skills to an employer,” Doering said.It’s part of a new initiative, the Skills Lab, under UNO’s Center for Competency, Skills and Workforce Development in the College of Business Administration.Dr. Erin Bass says the program looks for key words and skills that come up in multiple job descriptions. The program’s latest report finds that the top skill is coordinating. Customer service and data analysis come in at numbers 2 and 3. “Within our coursework, we’re gaining academic knowledge and we’re gaining these skills,” Bass said. “But there seems to be a gap for students especially being able to translate, not just the academic knowledge that they’re gaining, but the skills that they’re gaining in their coursework and why that’s relevant for the kinds of jobs that they’ll pursue after graduation.”Bass and her team also reach out to businesses to learn what they’re looking for. The skills lab has gotten input from a number of companies including OPPD, Conagra Brands and Union Pacific.”I think the hope for this initiative is that it’s really helping students not only understand the skills that they’re gaining in their time at UNO, but why those skills are so relevant for the workforce,” Bass said.As for Doering, she has some words of wisdom for her soon-to-be fellow graduates.”Yes, you can sit back and be nervous about ‘How am I going to compete with these individuals that have ‘x,x,x,’ over me, in their 45 years of experience, 30 years of experience?’… But I also think there’s a lot to offer as a new graduate. It’s just what you do with that and how you present it,” she said.

Finding a job after graduating from college can be a challenge. A new program at the University of Nebraska-Omaha aims to make that transition easier.

The Skills Lab gives students the opportunity to gain experience that employers are seeking out.

Jacylan Doering is in her final year of graduate school at UNO.

“I’m currently working in HR and I definitely would love to continue a career in HR focused in employee relations, employee wellness, change management,” Doering said.

Soon, she’ll have a collection of digital badges for skills that are needed in the workforce. She’ll be able to show the digital badges on her LinkedIn, resume and e-mail signature.

“I just think those badges are a very good way to clearly define certain skills to an employer,” Doering said.

It’s part of a new initiative, the Skills Lab, under UNO’s Center for Competency, Skills and Workforce Development in the College of Business Administration.

Dr. Erin Bass says the program looks for key words and skills that come up in multiple job descriptions.

The program’s latest report finds that the top skill is coordinating. Customer service and data analysis come in at numbers 2 and 3.

“Within our coursework, we’re gaining academic knowledge and we’re gaining these skills,” Bass said. “But there seems to be a gap for students especially being able to translate, not just the academic knowledge that they’re gaining, but the skills that they’re gaining in their coursework and why that’s relevant for the kinds of jobs that they’ll pursue after graduation.”

Bass and her team also reach out to businesses to learn what they’re looking for. The skills lab has gotten input from a number of companies including OPPD, Conagra Brands and Union Pacific.

“I think the hope for this initiative is that it’s really helping students not only understand the skills that they’re gaining in their time at UNO, but why those skills are so relevant for the workforce,” Bass said.

As for Doering, she has some words of wisdom for her soon-to-be fellow graduates.

“Yes, you can sit back and be nervous about ‘How am I going to compete with these individuals that have ‘x,x,x,’ over me, in their 45 years of experience, 30 years of experience?’… But I also think there’s a lot to offer as a new graduate. It’s just what you do with that and how you present it,” she said.

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