Have you ever considered starting a career in healthcare? Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions (BCS) and our partners in healthcare provide opportunities though the Health Careers Registered Apprenticeship Program. This program offers Registered Apprenticeships for three career pathways into healthcare including Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy Technician. Starting your career with one of the three apprenticeship pathways provides an opportunity to not only learn the skills you need to perform the job, but also allows you to practice and master those skills with a mentor, while earning a wage.

The healthcare field is one of the industries, nationwide, in need of skilled workers. The Health Career Apprenticeship program helps address those needs by allowing apprentices to earn a wage while learning the valuable skills needed to begin their career path into health care. Over the course of a year, apprentices will earn 144 hours of Related Training Instruction (RTI), or more depending on the program of interest, to complete the coursework needed, at no cost to the apprentice. The apprentice will also be assigned a mentor with experience and expertise, to teach, guide and provide support to the apprentice along their journey to master the required competencies and work their way to completion. During the on-the-job learning portion of the program, apprentices receive a wage, and incremental wage increases for meeting benchmarks.

BCS currently partners with medical facilities as well and nursing care facilities in three counties, including Marshall, Poweshiek and Hardin. Our partners, to name a few are Unity Point Health in Marshalltown and Grinnell, Hansen Family Hospitals in Iowa Falls and Scenic Living Communities in Iowa Falls. Our partners are building a pipeline of skilled workers while fulfilling their need for future skilled employees; they also can upskill current employees that want to further their career in healthcare. The benefit of the HealthCare Registered Apprenticeship helps not only the apprentices gain valuable knowledge and experience by earning and learning, but also helps partners gain skills workers that can grow their future workforce.

When the apprentice completes 144 hours of Related Training Instruction and 1,000 hours of on-the-job learning the apprentice will have earned a 76 Hour-Phase 1 Nurse Aide Certificate, be registered with the State of Iowa as a Certified Nursing Assistant, as well as a Registered Apprenticeship Certificate of Completion provided by the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship and the United States Department of Labor, credentials that are recognized nationwide.

Registered Apprenticeships are a great way to begin a career in healthcare. According to the US Department of Labor ApprenticeshipUSA website, approximately 90% of apprentices retain employment after completing their apprenticeship. Those individuals looking to begin a new career in healthcare must be at least 16 years of age, have completed the 10th grade and currently enrolled in high school or a high school graduate. No previous healthcare experience is required.

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Allison Stewart is the Work-Based Learning Specialist for Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions.