A new initiative from the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, in partnership with Don’t Panic Labs, is giving Nebraska employers a chance to assess and strengthen the technical skills of their software teams.

The statewide Software Engineering Skills Assessment is open through July 11 and aims to identify knowledge gaps in software engineering roles. Employers who sign up receive a company-specific link to share with employees in software or technical positions. The assessment is anonymous and based on the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBoK), a global standard for the field.

The survey includes 126 targeted questions covering a range of topics such as software design, testing, development practices and engineering management. It takes about 15 minutes to complete and is designed to provide honest, anonymous feedback from software engineers.

Michael Blake, project integrator at Don’t Panic Labs, said the process is designed to be both simple and effective. “It gives you a great assessment of where you’re at and how you need to grow within the company,” he said.

Once the assessment window closes, each participating company will receive a personalized summary of the responses, including strengths, gaps and potential next steps. The goal is to help employers better understand the current capabilities of their teams and inform future training or development decisions.

The assessment is part of a broader effort by the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, powered by the Aksarben Foundation, to strengthen the state’s tech workforce. As Nebraska companies face growing demand for digital skills, especially in software development and related fields, the initiative aims to provide actionable data and drive long-term solutions.

Don’t Panic Labs will review submissions from across the state and provide participating companies with feedback tailored to their responses. Results will also help shape larger workforce development strategies and partnerships led by the collaborative.

Employers across Nebraska with software or technical staff are encouraged to participate. Interested companies can complete a short form to register and designate a point of contact to distribute the survey internally.

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