Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System has opened what it calls the first-of-its-kind career technical education high school for healthcare fields.
The Health Education and Learning High School will share a campus with Houston-based Nimitz High School. The program, which just began classes, will have a four-year academic calendar and will serve hundreds of students each year once it reaches capacity in 2028, according to a news release shared with Becker's on Aug. 27.
It was developed by Memorial Hermann and the Aldine Independent School District, with $31 million in funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies' initiative to create high schools in urban and rural communities. The three organizations co-developed the high school curriculum, which offers specialized healthcare classes, work-based learning and opportunities to earn industry credentials and certifications along the traditional high school education path.
Students will also have the opportunity to get direct work experience. In ninth and 10th grades, students will get job shadowing and simulation lab opportunities. In 11th grade, they can get paid healthcare internships and professional mentoring; and immediately following graduation, they can be hired for jobs at Memorial Hermann, according to the release.