2022 was another difficult year for the healthcare industry in Wisconsin. An aging workforce and increases in employee departures continued to create struggles for hiring outlooks in healthcare. While all industries are facing workforce challenges, healthcare faces an additional, unique challenge: demand is largely determined by demographics. Wisconsin's healthcare industry will need to adapt to the dual issues of a rapidly aging population and a shrinking workforce.

The good news is there is a continued interest in healthcare careers: "The American Association

of Colleges of Nursing reports that nursing enrollments increased in 2020 and 2021. These enrollments will keep growth rates of the RN profession on pace with the national 29% increase from 2008 to 2018 in actively licensed nurses living in the United States, according to the latest Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses." (Wisconsin Healthcare Association’s 2022 Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report).

The Center for Healthcare Careers of Southeast Wisconsin’s Medical Assistant Pathway to Employment Training (MAAPET) project hosted two Earn and Learn youth during the summer of 2022. The extra assistance from the youth accelerated medical assistant training to trainees from four hospital systems throughout Southeast Wisconsin. In addition to providing much needed support to MAAPET instructors and trainees, the Earn and Learn participants were exposed to CHC's Medical Assistant training program and to healthcare careers. 

Tommie Milan, one of CHC's Earn and Learn participants, enjoyed the exposure to the healthcare sector. “The program has impacted me by teaching me skills that I can use in future jobs,” explained Tommie. “I learned to do inventory, label, and develop a resume. My supervisors even taught me how to use a stethoscope!” 

Tommie's enthusiasm was shared by those he worked with: “Tommie was an awesome worker,” remarked his supervisor, Yvette Willis. “He was exceptionally dependable and never missed a day of work.”  

MAAPET instructors provided mentoring and support to Tommie and their other Earn and Learn participant to assist them in moving to the next step in their healthcare careers, even after conclusion of the Earn and Learn Program. After enjoying his time working with MAAPET, Tommie is hoping to enter the field of healthcare and become a pharmacy technician. His worksite supervisors are providing mentoring to him, assisted him in developing his resume, and worked with him in strengthening his job interviewing skills. They have also connected him with several area healthcare systems that offer pharmacy technician training to assist Tommie in achieving his immediate career goal.

If your organization is interested in providing an enriching summer work experience to Milwaukee youth like Tommie, click below to register for an Earn & Learn worksite orientation!