Mat-Su Regional Health Center Hires First Apprentices
Health care apprenticeships grow through multi-employer collaboration
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Mat-Su Regional Health Center has hired its first Registered Apprentices, who will work as Operating Room Technicians and Sterile Processing Technicians. Mat-Su Regional Health Center, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Regional Hospital, Alaska Surgery Center, and Alaska labor unions are collaborating to expand health care apprenticeships through the Alaska Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium (AHCAC), which was established with grant support from the U.S. Department of Labor, in coordination with the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
“Through these apprenticeships, Mat-Su Regional Hospital is building its own work force while creating more middle class jobs for Alaskans,” said Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas.
“With apprenticeship, we are able to offer Alaska-grown opportunities for very difficult-to-recruit positions,” said Cathy Babuscio, Human Resources and Employee Health Director at Mat-Su Regional Hospital.
“Mat-Su Regional Health Center’s decision to utilize Registered Apprenticeship as a workforce solution is testament to the value of apprenticeship opportunities for employers. AHCAC looks forward to continuing the partnership between our organizations and demonstrating the benefits of our programs to health care providers throughout Alaska,” said Karli Lopez, Executive Director of the Alaska Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium.
Health care apprenticeships sponsored through the AHCAC (www.ahcac.net) include Surgical Technologist/Operating Room Technician, Sterile Processing Technician, Behavioral Health Aide, Community Health Worker, Medical Office Assistant, Clinical Medial Assistant, Medical Biller Coder, and Certified Clinical Chiropractic Assistant.
Registered Apprenticeship combines on-the-job training with technical classroom instruction, and is designed to offer worker training based on the needs of employers. In Alaska, Registered Apprenticeship has long been the foundation of training in the construction industry. More recently, many large health care employers have started using Registered Apprenticeship.
View the original press release and photos at http://labor.alaska.gov/news/2017/news17-13.pdf
Source: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development – Press Release
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