Your people are your institution’s most valuable asset.
Amidst the unprecedented national shortage of nurses and allied health professionals, investing in them has never been more critical.
And healthcare apprenticeships are one of the best ways you can invest.
Apprenticeships are “earn-while-you-learn” programs that combine paid on-the-job training with classroom learning. You can source apprentices from your pool of current employees and from the local community.
Apprenticeships have been used for centuries in industries like construction and manufacturing, but they’re just gaining traction in the healthcare sector.
In healthcare, they represent a paradigm shift from traditional post-K-12 healthcare education-then-employment models to pathways that blend the classroom with the workplace.
In addition to helping you fill critical roles and expand your workforce, they serve as gateways to rewarding, family-sustaining careers for adults living and working in your community.
They also provide a talent solution that is both immediate and long-term while positioning your institution as an employer of choice.
If your team is looking to build a new apprenticeship program or improve an existing one, these recommendations can help you develop a program that is effective and sustainable.
1. Determine the type of apprenticeship or institutional training program model that fits your needs best
Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) are formal training programs approved by and registered with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) or a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA).
RAs offer structured on-the-job training, didactic instruction, and a nationally recognized credential upon completion. They must meet the standards set by the DOL or SAA, which monitors them for compliance.
This registered apprenticeship toolkit is a great roadmap for getting your bearings and helping you get started.
It comes straight from the DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship, which oversees the national Registered Apprenticeship system.
The Office of Apprenticeship also has a fantastic digital Resource Hub with case studies, research, guides, and other materials you might find useful.
If your team is interested in developing a less formal program, you might consider an unregistered apprenticeship or training program.
These aren’t monitored by state or federal agencies, so you have full autonomy in designing and managing them to meet your needs.
You can come up with a program structure and develop content tailored to your institution.
Unregistered apprenticeships and training programs are easier to implement since you don’t need to register with an external agency.
On the other hand, your program doesn't get the same national or statewide recognition and may not qualify for funding or other financial incentives that registered apprenticeships do.
You’ll need to weigh these factors when deciding which training program model aligns best with your institution’s goals and requirements.
2. Design your training program to be easily accessible to working adults
Many of the healthcare career training options currently available to adults with a high school diploma don’t fit well into their lives.
Oftentimes, trainees are balancing work and caregiving responsibilities that conflict with class schedules. These programs also tend to be long, expensive, and difficult to commute to.
When it comes to developing your program, you can address these issues and remove some of the obstacles that deter many prospective trainees.
Consider these tips:
- Offer a flexible schedule that works with different work and caregiving arrangements.
- Maximize learning efficacy by integrating technology and combining virtual and in-person training.
- Remove common barriers by providing wraparound support services like coaching from experienced practitioners, peer-to-peer support, and transportation to clinical sites.
- Set trainees up for long-term career success by preparing them for certification exams, unlocking defined career pathways, and providing opportunities for internal advancement.
- Teach trainees to have a growth mindset that encourages them to embrace challenges, learn from feedback, and persist despite setbacks.
3. Learn how other institutions are doing it
Health systems that leverage apprenticeship models are filling critical roles faster, at lower cost, and with less turnover.
Providence Health, spread across the Western U.S., offers a full-time Medical Assistant (MA) apprenticeship program to current employees and candidates from the community.
Trainees earn a paycheck and benefits throughout the program. The apprenticeship combines live, virtual classroom instruction, preparation for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam, and clinical skill-building under the guidance of experienced MA preceptors.
When trainees graduate, Providence offers them full-time MA positions.
Atlantic Health, one of the largest health systems in New Jersey, trains, certifies, and upskills hundreds of direct care workers each year through apprenticeships called Tech Schools.
Tech Schools are open to employees and local residents and lead to careers like Patient Care Technician, Pharmacy Technician, and Radiology Technologist. They combine classroom instruction and hands-on clinical training and are funded by the system’s Overlook Foundation.
The Radiology Tech School, for example, offers about 120 current Atlantic Health radiologic technologists the opportunity to upskill, earning specialized certifications in modalities like MRI, CT, and mammography.
The training programs Providence and Atlantic Health offer to fill critical workforce needs and improve employee retention. At the same time, they open up opportunities to pursue stable, in-demand healthcare careers.
4. Look into grant funding options to launch or expand your program
State and federal agencies are increasingly investing in apprenticeships.
They see them as a solution to local and national workforce shortages and a shrinking middle class.
In New Jersey, for example, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development awarded $11 million in 2024 to the Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) grant program.
GAINS supports Registered Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in high-growth industries like healthcare.
Since February 2024, GAINS has placed over 250 apprentices in healthcare roles.
GAINS recipients can use the funds to offset training costs and get reimbursed for up to 50% of new apprentices’ wages for their first year of employment.
At the national level, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) administers two major grant programs, the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) program and the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF).
These grants support, diversify, and expand RAs across healthcare and other sectors. They promote equitable access to apprenticeships and support workforce development across the country.
In 2024, the DOL awarded over $244 million in funding across the two programs.
U.S. hospitals and health systems don’t directly receive ABA or SAEF grants–they partner with grant recipients to launch apprenticeships.
For SAEF grants, health systems partner with the state agencies responsible for administering apprenticeships. Some examples of 2024 SAEF awardees include the Idaho Department of Labor, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and the Texas Workforce Commission.
For the ABA grant program, health systems partner with awardees like state agencies, educational institutions, and community-based organizations. Some examples of 2024 awardees include CareerWise, the Community College District of Jefferson County, Missouri, and the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio.
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You can find more information about:
- New Jersey-based grant opportunities, including GAINS, here.
- National grant opportunities, including ABA and SAEF, here.
Keeping track of grants and applying to them can definitely get overwhelming. If you’re looking to launch and scale your program quickly, many healthcare training providers assist with the grant application process.
The healthcare workforce shortage affects us all, and the best way to alleviate it is to work together.
