Nevada job market struggles are likely temporary, UNR professor says

Ericka Estacio hit the ground running when she began college. She pursued multiple internships (some unpaid), built her LinkedIn profile and created a professional network. In many ways, she has built a solid foundation for entering the workforce.

However, now heading into her senior year at the University of Nevada, Reno, Estacio said she still feels uncertain about the future that awaits her once Spring 2026 arrives and she is newly graduated.

"I'm scared," Estacio said. “I hear horror stories. I know a 4.0 computer science major who is working as a barista, so it makes you wonder who (companies) are hiring."

Estacio is not alone.

Many recent graduates say they apply to multiple employers and hear little back, while others land jobs that don’t match their values, goals or qualificat