Serving the Dallas metro area since 1894, Parkland Health & Hospital System is one of the country’s largest public hospital systems and serves more than 1 million patient visits annually. To ensure a qualified staff critical to maintaining quality care, Parkland created the Parkland Academy to offer career development opportunities for employees and community members. The Academy operates five expanding programs—Education at Work, high school completion, Patient Care Assistant/ Technician Training (PCAT), Rise to Success, and Tuition Reimbursement—to provide development opportunities and prepare employees for successful health care careers. To ensure success, all Parkland programs are coupled with evidence-based curricula, career coaching, daycare and transportation services, academic counseling, and career planning.

Parkland’s high school completion program offers free GED classes and English training to all employees pursuing a high school diploma. Parkland’s Rise to Success program offers support and full tuition assistance to recent high school graduates seeking to start a career in health care. The program fully covers education costs for an associate’s degree at the Dallas County Community College District while offering students an opportunity to work part-time. Upon entry, students are trained as Patient Care Technicians (PCT) and given opportunities to advance their education and training to grow at Parkland.