Overview 

The NCLR Health Care Career Pathways Initiative focuses on funding and supporting NCLR Affiliates implementing education and training programs in the health care industry.  Through this training, Latinos acquire valuable education and skills that lead to upward economic mobility.

This initiative uses integrated learning strategies and a contextualized curriculum to help participants gain occupation-specific skills along with improved language skills, job skills, and other soft skills.  Affiliates incorporate “bridges” that help integrate entry-level training with more advanced coursework, using industry-specific contextualized curriculum.  Designing and teaching the subject matter in the context of their future work environment increases students’ interest and ability to learn concepts.  This further prepares them for the specific demands of the occupation for which they are being trained.  The Health Care Career Pathways Initiative provides the training and support Latinos need to climb the high-demand allied health care career ladder.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Aetna Foundation, NCLR is implementing this initiative in eight cities with seven Affiliates across the country.  These programs train participants in various allied health care professions such as licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, certified nursing assistant, patient care technician medical assistant, medical billers and coders and dental assistant.  Programs are being implemented by:

1.       Calexico Community Action Council in Calexico, California

2.       Friendly House in Phoenix, Arizona

3.       Instituto del Progreso Latino and Association House of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois

4.       ISED Ventures in Des Moines, Waterloo, and Ottumwa, Iowa

5.       Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in Washington, DC

6.       La Allianza Hispana in Roxbury, Massachusetts

Impact

In 2009, more than 400 participants were enrolled in different health care training programs across the seven Affiliates sites.  Participants graduating from higher levels of training have seen an average increase of 150% in their wages.

Highlights

The NCLR-supported Carreras en Salud program in Chicago, a partnership among Instituto del Progreso Latino, Association House of Chicago, Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center of Wilbur Wright College, and NCLR, was awarded the U.S. Department of Labor’s Recognition of Excellence Award in 2008 for “tapping the talents of special populations in the workforce.”  The award honors programs from throughout the country that provide effective career enhancement services to populations that face barriers to employment.