The shortage of healthcare workers has been a big topic over the last few years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. could face a shortage of 195,400 nurses by the year 2031.
Now, a partnership between AdventHealth and Junior Achievement is reaching kids as young as the fourth grade, hoping to create interest in healthcare jobs.
“So we want to help these kids to learn and grow and potentially grow into a career with Advent Health,” said Sheila Rankin, AdventHealth Kissimmee CEO. “Because when kids are young, that’s when we are able to impress this the most. We are able to build a pipeline of caregiving students that could help us care for the communities in which we serve for the future.”
This new initiative was announced at the 6th Annual JA Inspire Expo at Oscoela Heritage Park Events Center. Rankin explained to News 6 Anchor Julie Broughton the new program was created after going into the classroom and gathering feedback from students.
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“We’ll have healthcare employees that will come and explain to kids what it’s like to work directly in our healthcare facilities. You will be exposed as a kid to many of the jobs in healthcare. So you will learn firsthand what it is to be a nurse, or what it is to be a phlebotomist. Or what it is to be a doctor and then can be inspired to become one of them in the future,” Rankin said.
The program is currently in Osceola, Oak Ridge, and Ocoee High Schools with plans to expand. Rankin says it’s important to be a part of the communities AdventHealth serves.
“The kids are perhaps passing by every single day or every week and they see these facilities, and perhaps they can wonder if I would want to work there one day. Why couldn’t I be a chief nursing officer, or why couldn’t I be the next nurse? Or why I couldn’t I be the next CEO of Advent Health Kissimmee?” said Rankin.
This partnership is in conjunction with Orange and Osceola County Public Schools.
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