Prosperity 10,000 Spotlight: Willamette Workforce Partnership Expands Access to Medical Training Academy’s Certified Nursing Assistants Program
Future Ready Oregon included $35 million for the Prosperity 10,000 Program, providing funding for Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards to expand opportunities for Oregonians to jumpstart and advance their careers in high-demand industries and occupations. In this installment of our Prosperity 10,000 Spotlight series, we are pleased to feature Willamette Workforce Partnership (WWP), the local workforce development board serving Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties.
WWP: Advancing Occupational Training Programs through Prosperity 10,000
WWP has been using Prosperity 10,000 to create new opportunities for individuals to access occupational training. Funds are distributed to organizations in the Mid-Willamette Valley through a competitive application process. As a result, WWP reports that it has supported more than 300 individuals in classroom training since the program's inception in 2022. Learn more about how WWP has invested Prosperity 10,000 funds.
WWP Program Director Ami Maceira noted, “We at Willamette Workforce Partnership are grateful to have Prosperity 10,000 and other Future Ready Oregon initiatives in our area. Through these investments, we have been able to serve more individuals and work with more community partners and business leaders.”
“COVID-19 revealed gaps in our workforce infrastructure, and Prosperity 10,000 was able to address some of these gaps by allowing workforce development boards like WWP to get creative and prioritize community needs rather than regulations,” continued Maceira. “This shift helped us connect with others who see the same challenges and are just as eager to collaborate on tackling these issues. This could not have happened without Senate Bill 1545.”
In response to its latest round of Prosperity 10,000 Request for Quotes and Qualifications, WWP received 20 applications and provided funds to four organizations to offer comprehensive training in targeted sectors such as healthcare and transportation. One of the organizations, Medical Training Academy (MTA), is using this support to expand its Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) Program.
MTA: Connecting Priority Populations with CNA Training
Located in Newberg, MTA is a newer non-profit that emerged during the pandemic to focus on training healthcare professionals in Yamhill County. MTA’s Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) Program consists of 65 hours of classroom instruction and lab work, followed by a 40-hour, hands-on internship. Students who complete the program are qualified to take the Nurse Assistant Competency Evaluation test for certification in Oregon.
MTA cohorts are predominately comprised of underserved, rural, and minority-identifying individuals with lived experiences that include histories of substance use disorders, legal involvement, houselessness, and mental health challenges. Training program staff have expertise in supporting individuals with these experiences.
Flexible Funding for Wraparound Supports and Services
With WWP’s support through Prosperity 10,000, MTA has directly addressed financial barriers to program completion by providing all students with wraparound supports that include free tuition and enrollment, a paid stipend for the coursework and internship, as well as financial support to cover the costs of supplies, background checks, and testing.
“Many individuals working as caregivers would be excellent CNAs. However, there are substantial financial barriers to program enrollment, such as missed work time, cost of training, and cost of certification,” explained MTA Executive Director Jeri Turgesen. “Through our partnership with WWP, we are able to provide direct support to our participants by offering the training at no cost and by providing a stipend for participation. Our grant partnership also allows our program to support costs such as obtaining necessary scrubs and non-skid shoes, a gait belt, and stethoscope, as well as covering the costs of taking the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OBN) certification exam.”
MTA’s wraparound supports cover a range of additional services to help ensure successful program completion. These include peer support services and mentoring, as well as assistance with transportation, food, and housing for training participants.
Recent and Upcoming Cohorts
Recently, the first cohort of nine students successfully completed the training. Of these, six have achieved certification, and two have passed the CNA exam and are scheduled for their skills test. All students who achieved certification are now employed in the field of their choice.
Turgesen observed: “There is a significant need for highly trained CNAs throughout our region and state. The ability to offer high-quality training for underserved individuals has been incredible. It is such an honor to come alongside them, hear their stories, and offer support and encouragement as they achieve their dreams and have life-altering changes related to achieving this training.”
The next cohort starts October 1, 2024, with a focus on providing “after-hours” training to individuals who are currently employed and who need a program that accommodates both their work schedule and their family commitments.
Reminder: Volunteers Needed to Review Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grant Applications
Complete the Volunteer Interest Form by Thursday, August 1st
The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) is calling for volunteers to join the External Evaluation Review Committee for the next round of Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grant applications. The HECC will award a combined total of approximately $40 million to recruit and retain a diverse workforce in key sectors of Oregon’s economy—healthcare, manufacturing, and technology—through three sector-focused Requests for Applications (RFAs).
The External Evaluation Review Committee will score eligible applications using established criteria for each industry sector. Scores will inform the HECC’s funding and award decisions. Committee members will receive training and written instructions prior to starting the review process.
Evaluator training and the evaluation of applications will occur August 2-21, 2024. Each evaluator will be assigned no more than 15 applications to review. The total time needed for this commitment is approximately 10-12 hours. This estimate includes the time to attend training, review applications (about 30 minutes/application), and ask follow-up questions. Click here to learn more about this volunteer opportunity.
Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board Seeks Employer Partners for Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program
The Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board (SOWIB)—the local workforce development board that serves Coos, Curry, and Douglas Counties—invites healthcare employers in all counties in Oregon to register as Training Agents for the statewide Allied Health West Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship program.
The program is run by the Allied Health West Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) with support from SOWIB and has received Future Ready Oregon funding.* The apprenticeship prepares participants to obtain their Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) credential from the National Healthcareer Association.
Training agents provide each apprentice with 2,000 hours of on-the-job, paid work experience that includes incremental wage increases. During the 12-month training period, apprentices also complete 156 hours of online coursework. There is no charge to participants, and SOWIB reports that the program has a 98% pass rate for completers of the exam to earn the CCMA credential, compared with the 78% pass rate nationwide.
Full program details are available on SOWIB’s program page.
Employers: download the employer flyer and answers to frequently asked questions.
*SOWIB has used Future Ready Oregon Prosperity 10,000 funds from the HECC in support of the apprenticeship program, and received a Future Ready Oregon grant from BOLI’s Apprenticeship and Training Division to expand the program.
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Upcoming Industry Consortia Public Meetings
Interested in attending a Future Ready Oregon Industry Consortia public meeting? Mark your calendars for these upcoming quarterly public meetings, all of which are open to the public:
Monday, August 19: Technology Industry Consortium: 12:00 – 3:30 p.m., location forthcoming
Tuesday, September 24: Healthcare Industry Consortium: 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Rogue Community College, Medford, OR
Tuesday, October 1: Manufacturing Industry Consortium: 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., location forthcoming
Each Consortium’s quarterly meetings are held in person with an online listen-only option provided. The HECC welcomes your comments; to sign up to provide public comment at these meetings, email the public meeting administrator, and be sure to view additional public comment guidelines here.
Prior to each meeting, we will share the location, registration link for online attendance, agenda, and any supplemental documents on the Industry Consortia webpage. Following each meeting, you can find a link to the meeting recording on the HECC YouTube channel.
To be kept updated as public meeting details are announced, please subscribe to our Industry Consortia public meeting notices.
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