The inaugural UNO Skills Report also shows how UNO is aligning academic learning with labor market needs.
by SAM PESHEK
UNO Director of Editorial and Media Relations
For the first time, the Omaha community has a data-backed look at the skills leading Omaha employers want, and a clear roadmap to earn credentials for those skills.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Competencies, Skills, and Workforce Development Hub (CCSW) has released its inaugural UNO Skills Report, a comprehensive guide identifying the most in-demand skills in the Omaha metropolitan area.
The report outlines the top 10 skills employers value most, based on a combination of labor market analytics, faculty input and feedback from the CCSW Advisory Board. Those skills are coordinating, customer service, data analysis, decision-making, interpersonal relationships, Microsoft Office, presentations, project management, teamwork and written communication.
According to CCSW Hub Director Erin Bass, Ph.D., the report is designed to help align academic learning with real-world workforce expectations.
“Skills are currency in today’s job market,” Bass said. “This report reflects UNO’s commitment to integrating skill development into the heart of the academic experience. It’s a blueprint for how our university and industry are working together to build skills that shape Omaha, powered by UNO.”
Beyond identifying in-demand skills, the report provides a framework for how students can earn and verify those competencies. Each skill is paired with a faculty-developed assessment rubric, guidance on how the skill can be embedded into coursework and a corresponding digital badge. Students earn these badges by completing assignments in existing courses that demonstrate specific competencies such as teamwork, data analysis or presentations.
Faculty assess student performance using standardized rubrics developed with subject-matter experts and industry partners. Once verified, digital badges are awarded and stored in Canvas and the Maverick Digital Backpack, where students can share them with employers through LinkedIn profiles, resumes, email signatures or other professional platforms. The badges are designed to be portable and aligned with national credentialing standards.
Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D., assistant NU System vice president for IT strategy and learning technologies and former UNO associate vice chancellor for innovative and learning-centric initiatives, said the approach reflects UNO’s focus on long-term career readiness.
“At UNO, we’re redefining what it means to prepare students for the workforce,” Lindburg said. “When most universities stop supporting students when their degree is in hand, we want to help students verify, share and stack their skills in ways that evolve with their careers. It’s about creating a lifelong value proposition for learners and for the employers who hire them.”
The university plans to reassess its top 10 skills annually, expand its digital badge offerings, and further integrate skills-based learning across academic programs. Employers interested in partnering on skills badges or internships can contact CCSW at [email protected].
