Grants will help Virginia Community College students earn advanced healthcare credentials and higher wages

Sentara Healthcare and Optima Health have partnered with the ECMC Foundation and Virginia’s Community Colleges to develop and launch a pilot program to increase support and advising for students in healthcare programs to help them earn multiple, stackable credentials that lead to better jobs and higher wages.

The grants, totaling $450,000, will be awarded to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) and will fund the new Healthcare Pathways program at Blue Ridge Community College, Central Virginia Community College, Germanna Community College, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Tidewater Community College, and Virginia Western Community College.

The six colleges in the pilot program represent a variety of sizes and communities, with an eye on establishing best practices to be replicated throughout the Virginia Community College System (VCCS).

"We’re very grateful to these donors," said VFCCE Board Chair, Stewart Roberson. "Thanks to their generosity, students will receive vital support and guidance toward advanced healthcare credentials, boosting their earning potential and helping to prevent critical talent shortages in the healthcare field."

"This initiative could be especially valuable at a time when more adults need to re-tool their job skills as a result of the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope this effort will help working adults find a path toward careers that are in demand," said Howard Kern, President & CEO, Sentara Healthcare.

"Connecting students to pathways that lead to academic credentials is an important step to a fulfilling career with financial stability," said Jennifer Zeisler, career readiness senior director, ECMC Foundation. "We are proud to support a program that will offer students pursuing healthcare careers the ability to achieve family-sustaining wages and lifelong learning opportunities while providing healthcare employers with the qualified and diverse talent they need."

VCCS students in select FastForward healthcare training programs will be eligible for the pilot program. By creating strategic course enrollment guides crafted for their specific career goals, the program will provide structure and support to take the next educational steps efficiently, saving time and tuition costs.

For example, a student completing the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training would be prepared to immediately enter the Advanced EMT program, then go on to enroll in the Emergency Management Services (EMS) Paramedic degree program, resulting in an Associates of Applied Science and more opportunities in a high-quality healthcare career.