Corewell Health, which has dual headquarters in Grand Rapids and Southfield, Mich., will launch the state's first nurse apprentice program in 2023, the organization said Nov. 5.
Corewell is partnering with Scottville, Mich.-based West Shore Community College, the Michigan Department of Labor and Michigan Works! West Central, an employment agency, on the effort.
Through the one-year program, participating nursing students will receive traditional classroom instruction and practical experience through paid full-time apprentice positions at Corewell Health Ludington (Mich.) Hospital. Nursing students will work closely with a nurse mentor to receive on-the-job training, with the goal of accelerating the time it takes for them to become practice-ready.
The program also aims to make a career in nursing more accessible for those who cannot forgo full-time pay and benefits to attend nursing school.
Corewell Health is a 22-hospital system formed through the merger of Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health.