Healthcare Workforce Retention and Advancement Program
Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Detroit Mayor's Workforce Development Board, Henry Ford Health
Hospitals
Healthcare Industry
Organizations Involved
Occupations Impacted
Pharmacy Technicians; Medical Assistants; Radiologic Technologists and Technicians; Respiratory Therapists; Surgical Technologists
Workforce Development Focus
Increasing number of healthcare workers AND healthcare workforce retention
Workforce Issue Addressed
Attracting individuals to work in a healthcare profession; providing a benefit or incentive that encourages individuals to pursue a healthcare profession; opportunity for educational reimbursement; any activity or implement that addresses reducing healthcare professional turnover
Description
The Healthcare Workforce Retention and Advancement Program is a pilot program with the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Detroit Mayor's Workforce Development Board and Henry Ford Health. The program's main goal is to promote career advancement and economic opportunity by providing career pathways support and wraparound services to incumbent, non-clinical workers employed by Henry Ford Health. Environmental services, food service and patient transport employees can participate in apprenticeship programs to receive the skills and credentials needed to become pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, radiologic technicians, respiratory therapists and surgical technicians. The program is creating employer-specific, custom career pathway maps to guide employees through possible career progressions. Ultimately, the program hopes to support the recruitment, upskilling and retention of entry-level staff at Henry Ford Health. The pilot program hopes to expand to a regional scope with multiple health systems and higher education partners working together to create a more robust healthcare talent pipeline.