As a national network promoting increased investment in frontline workers, CareerSTAT assists health care organizations grow and sustain workforce development programs that engage employees, fill critical vacancies, improve patient care, and advance individuals toward family-sustaining jobs. Since I started as CareerSTAT Director in February 2016, we have focused on documenting employer best practices, collecting metrics, developing new partnerships, and expanding our network. In collaboration with Jobs for the Future, we released the newly revised CareerSTAT Guide to Investing in Frontline Health Care Workers for health care leaders designing frontline workforce programs and building program infrastructure. We are expanding opportunities for members to engage in more peer-to-peer learning and technical assistance. We are also aligning with other organizations focused on health care skills training, apprenticeships, and anchor institution strategies to ensure that we’re providing the network with comprehensive strategies.

After four years of committed support from the Joyce Foundation, CareerSTAT received a three-year $750,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand the network and develop an Employer Academy to provide focused technical assistance to organizations starting or expanding their workforce development programs (read more). Technical assistance will be available to organizations that apply to the Frontline Health Care Worker Champions program, so get your applications in before February 3, 2017! As an employer-led initiative of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, CareerSTAT’s executive leaders are excited to engage more health care leaders from across the continuum of care in this next phase. Also we are hiring a Program Manager to support this exciting work! Please see our careers page for more information

– Kelly Aiken, National Fund Vice President and CareerSTAT Director