A thriving community depends on a network of skilled professionals, and few are more essential than those in health care. These dedicated individuals provide the care that keeps our families, friends and neighbors healthy, but a growing workforce shortage threatens the strength of this vital industry. Tackling this challenge requires more than just filling job openings — it demands innovative solutions that connect education, training and real-world experience to build a stronger, more sustainable pipeline of health care talent.
At Lorain County Community College, we have always taken pride in preparing individuals for meaningful careers in health care at every stage of their journey. And through strategic partnerships with local hospitals and health care organizations, we have long since ensured that our programs align with industry needs. These two factors on their own contribute to a pipeline of top talent for the health care industry. But when student and employer connect earlier, through apprenticeship programs for example, the intake funnel for that pipeline expands greatly and the time it takes to fill openings in the workforce shrinks.
Apprenticeship programs have served as a trusted training approach for centuries in skilled trade industries. Their principles of application, however, have no sector boundaries. I am excited to see more apprenticeship programs taking root in health care, and at LCCC.
A recent example can be found in the statewide Behavioral Health Apprenticeship Program. The program was launched as part of the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Ohio Wellness Workforce Great Minds Fellowship and includes several local and state partners: Ohio Alliance of Recovery Providers, Oriana House, Ohio Mental Health & Addiction Services, ApprenticeOhio and Riveon Mental Health and Recovery. Through structured, supervised work experience, participating apprentices can earn both the associate of applied science in addiction studies and a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor Certification, while completing more than 3,000 on-the-job training hours. And most students are eligible to begin work after completing just one course.
Today, there are more than 50 apprentices within the Behavioral Health Apprenticeship Program, taking classes at LCCC and working on site among our 19 employer partners. The average age for these workers is 42, further demonstrating the continued need to meet students at all stages of their education and career. We are engaging with and providing opportunities to students like Tracy Hathaway, a 54-year-old mother who never thought a career in health care was possible because of the time it would take to complete a degree and the financial burden of doing so. The Behavioral Health Apprenticeship Program made it possible.
Beyond kicking off this statewide program’s implementation in Northeast Ohio, LCCC has helped create the Behavioral Health Apprenticeship Program Playbook, a roadmap for immediate replication as we address the behavioral health workforce crisis within the broader health care worker shortage. From there, its potential to be molded for fit in various health care fields, from sonography to sterile processing to surgical technology, is great.
Apprenticeship programs rely on partnership. They take an all-for-one approach to solving workforce shortages. But their potential can’t be denied. Together, we can shape the future of health care in our region, while ensuring that our community has access to top talent and compassionate care for years to come. ●
Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D. is President of Lorain County Community College
