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Goodwill of Southern Nevada is most known for its thrift stores and donation centers and is also instrumental in getting Nevadans trained and hired by local employers.

Bryan Fukuzawa, vice president of mission programs for Goodwill of Southern Nevada, said its train-to-hire programs are good at getting Nevadans into in-demand fields like health care and entertainment. He added their medical assistant, certified nursing assistant, phlebotomy and stagehand training programs prepare people for employment in local industries within about three months.

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"Of course we want people to come in with as many qualifications as they can. It makes it easy for us," Fukuzawa acknowledged. "But it doesn't really matter where somebody comes from, we will help them find employment no matter what that looks like. A big part of our mission and our vision is to help people with upward mobility as well."

Fukuzawa noted to qualify for the free training programs, Nevadans must have proper legal documentation to work in the U.S. and meet certain income requirements. Fukuzawa emphasized the programs are year-round, and funding comes from retail revenue, grants and monetary donations.

Fukuzawa pointed out Goodwill of Southern Nevada also offers training programs for those with disabilities. He stressed it is all about assessing an individual's skill level and then finding the best fit.

"Some people will be ready for competitive employment, some people may need some supportive employment or maybe they have a job coach working with them," Fukuzawa observed. "Maybe they're not ready for competitive employment and we can do other things to help them get prepared or help them with the experience of work."

Fukuzawa called the disability training programs "transformative" and encouraged anyone who might need assistance reaching their career goals to reach out for help.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.