Students looking to get into the healthcare field can do so without a financial barrier thanks to the Pipeline for the Advancement of Healthcare Workforce (PATH) grant from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).
With currently high workforce needs in the healthcare field, and an even bigger worker deficit on the horizon, the state of Illinois turned to community colleges to quickly get trained workers into the field. Community colleges were chosen because they can get students into the workforce much faster than four-year institutions.
Students enrolled in eligible healthcare program courses can receive grant funding for tuition, fees, books and uniforms used in clinical education, plus a stipend for childcare, technology and other essential costs.
“If there was a financial barrier for anyone to pursue these programs, it's no longer there,” said the Biological and Health Sciences Dean Jeet Saini. “This program gives a generous, all-around financial package to somebody who wants to get a job in healthcare.”
The pandemic created tough working conditions in the healthcare industry, causing the positions, though generally well-paying, to become less attractive. The conditions also pushed a lot of older workers toward retirement and created a mass exodus.
Lake County has a vast healthcare system, so it will be easy for students to find jobs close to home. The programs included in the grant have potential for
- Nursing
- Healthcare office assistant
- Emergency medical technology
- Nursing assistant
- Phlebotomy technician
- Health information technology
- Medical assistant
- Pharmacy technician
- Surgical technology
- Medical imaging
Original source can be found here
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