Career Coaching Model:
Partners in Career and Workforce Development (PCWD) in conjunction with WorkSource Partners provides one-on-one career coaching/case management for both the incumbent workers and the pre-employment participants. Career coaches from WorkSource meet regularly with the PCWD incumbent worker participants assigned to them.   They assist participants to develop a long-term career goal and a career plan with short-term goals, action steps and deadlines.   They also work with participants to identify and help overcome barriers to advancement.   The coaches provide career information and assist participants in locating and enrolling in relevant education programs, including GED, ESOL, computer training, pre-college courses, and college programs.   They also assist participants with application and financial aid processes.

For more information, see http://healthcare.partners.org/pcwd/index.htm

Career Planning Tool:
Partners HealthCare Partners in Career and Workforce Development (PCWD), in conjunction with its partner Jewish Vocational Service, has developed an online career-planning tool that is available to any of the hospitals.   It helps workers identify their long-term career goals through a career exploration self-assessment, and action steps to take for education and skill development goals.   Workers may complete it on their own or with the assistance of a career coach.

For more information, see http://healthcare.partners.org/pcwd/careerpaths/index.htm

Workforce Development Champions and Ambassadors:
A supervisor's willingness to provide encouragement and accommodate schedule changes in order for a worker to attend classes can make the difference between success and failure for many employees.   PCWD provides managers, designated as Workforce Development Champions, with training and support in career coaching, mentoring, and recognition for their important role nurturing the success of entry-level workers.  

In addition, health care professionals who are interested in attracting new workers to their field are designated as Health Career Ambassadors.   They participate in health career exposure activities, develop shadowing opportunities for entry-level employees, and provide "tool kits" with information about web sites and educational programs related to their professional practice areas.

For more information, see http://healthcare.partners.org/pcwd/index.htm

Training Clinicians as Educators:
Current and projected faculty shortages are a significant constraint limiting the ability of health professions educational institutions to respond to health care worker shortages.   Through PCWD, the MGH Institute of Health Professions is developing a certificate program that will prepare clinicians for a clinical faculty role.   It is also sponsoring discussions between community colleges and employers to develop new models for supporting clinicians who are interested in teaching.

For more information, see http://healthcare.partners.org/pcwd/index.htm

Pre-College Reading and Writing for Non-Native English Speakers:
This course focuses on developing the English ability of employees who have a high-level of education from their native country, some of whom worked in a healthcare profession in their native country.   The course is geared towards individuals who are at a high intermediate level of English ability, have their GED or HSD, and are interested in going to college. The course focuses on refining reading and writing skills, while working on the listening comprehension skills necessary in lecture-style college classes. The course incorporates medical and scientific vocabulary.

For more information, see http://healthcare.partners.org/pcwd/index.htm

Pre-College Class
The college preparatory course incorporates math, reading, writing, and study skills.

• The reading portion focuses on reading science material for comprehension, in order to prepare students for the science course work they will encounter in college-level classes.
• The writing portion focuses on essay style writing, with a review of grammar, spelling, mechanics, as well as sentence and paragraph structure.
• The math portion includes a review of the fundamentals (whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents), and focuses on pre-college level algebra.

Study skills will be incorporated into the reading and writing portion of the class by focusing on note taking, paraphrasing, and time management. This course covers the basic computer and test-taking skills needed for students to perform well on the College Placement Test and additional tests they will take once enrolled in a program.

For more information, see http://healthcare.partners.org/pcwd/index.htm

Community Hiring Report Card:
Many hospitals have difficulty meeting human resource goals for hiring from the neighborhoods where they are located.   The Boston Health Care and Research Training Institute developed an internal system for employers to track neighborhood applicants, interviews, and hires.   This will help HR to examine their screening system and whether   they need to alter their systems to be efficient and fair.   The Institute published a hiring report that compares the hospitals' hiring rates for neighborhood residents to the percentage of hires from the overall applicant pool that has helped Human Resource managers advocate for neighborhood applicants.

For more information, contact Lucy Meadows at Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation.

Library of Health Care and Research Competencies and Trainers:
HCRTI has documented the skills needed to make progress along a career ladder with each of the employers in its partnership.   These customized skills and competencies are incorporated into a database that facilitates the provision of targeted training that is easily adaptable to emerging worker and employer needs, transportable within the industry sector, and results in increased skills and earnings for workers and increased productivity and quality of care for employers.

For more information, contact Lucy Meadows at Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation.

Tutoring:
HCRTI recruits employees from its partner companies to match with entry level workers who need help with math, English and basic sciences in order to succeed in their occupational training programs.   The Institute provides professional training conducted by the Literacy Volunteers of America to the volunteer tutors, and meets with them regularly to provide support and problem solving assistance.

For more information, contact Lucy Meadows at Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation.

Financial Literacy:
The International Institute of Boston provides a comprehensive financial literacy program to all participants in the Hotel Career Center.   Not only are there workshops on planning and living on a budget, but IIB facilitates opening bank accounts, savings through Individual Development Accounts, and applying for tax credits such as Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Care Tax Credit.

For more information, contact Jude Travers at the International Institute of Boston