Advocate Aurora is one of the largest nonprofit, integrated health systems in the United States. With more than 70,000 team members and 500 sites of care, it serves nearly 3 million patients. Advocate Aurora’s Advocate Workforce Initiative, funded by a 2015 grant from JPMorgan Chase, highlights the organization’s innovative and strategic mission to increase competency of care across the industry and build a diverse, competitive workforce from within the organization and across the community.

An important component of the Advocate Workforce Initiative is the NAVIGATE program, a robust incumbent worker strategy designed to positively impact the career trajectory of frontline workers. NAVIGATE combines learning opportunities and workforce development into a single program, providing team members the ability to learn and hone new skills, determine career pathways with mentoring and coaching assistance, and access tools and resources that promote mobility and wage growth. NAVIGATE is offered three times a year over a four-month period. To date, 129 frontline workers have participated, 64% of whom have identified a career pathway. Additionally, 10% of workers have moved up the career ladder, receiving an average 24% increase in salary.