Chicago health systems are collaborating on a workforce development initiative to promote healthcare careers across the city's West and South sides.
Advocate Aurora Health, Sinai Chicago and University of Chicago Medicine announced the Healthcare Forward collaboration on Nov. 30, part of their Bridge Initiative Chicago partnership.
Under the initiative, the health systems will focus on recruiting individuals for entry-level healthcare jobs that require only a high school diploma or GED diploma or certificate, according to a joint news release. They will particularly focus on recruiting individuals on the West and South sides by offering a no-cost, six-hour career-readiness course and guaranteeing job interviews.
"There can be a misperception that a career in healthcare requires advanced degrees and lots of technical training," Debra Wesley, president of Sinai Community Institute, at Sinai Chicago, said in a news release. "In truth, healthcare systems need all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds with a range of skill sets."
Jerry Baake, manager of workforce development at Advocate Aurora Health, and Betsy Rahill, director of talent strategy at UChicago Medicine, said Healthcare Forward also paves the way for people to begin fulfilling healthcare careers.
The training course is available online or in person. Individuals are guaranteed an interview at Advocate Aurora Health, Sinai Chicago or UChicago Medicine once they complete the course.
Advocate Aurora Health, which has dual headquarters in Milwaukee and Downers Grove, Ill., is among the nation's largest nonprofit, integrated health systems with 75,000 employees. Sinai Chicago is the largest private safety-net hospital system in Illinois. UChicago Medicine is a nonprofit academic medical health system.
More information is available here. To register for the program, click here.