St. Joseph's Health – Work Train

Overview

A highly successful endeavor piloted by the Northside Urban Partnership, “Work Train” is an expansion of a pilot program titled “Green Train,” which provided job training and placement to include training in “green” construction, weatherization, landscaping and urban ecology. Started in 2008, the program strongly aligned with St. Joseph Health’s $265 million facility construction project, which was designed to include several “green” initiatives. SJH’s project served as a training ground for Green Train apprentices. With SJH as a partner, a natural next step was to provide health care job training. Started in 2012, Health Train is a competitive program designed to train and prepare entry-level workers for a career in health care. Program participants were provided with free tuition, an introduction to the hospital environment, opportunities for health care experience, assistance with career planning and advancement, and more.

Since that time, these initiatives have transformed into the broader “Work Train,” which offers job training and placement assistance for entry-level and incumbent workers in a variety of areas. Work Train is a regional, collaborative workforce-development platform that addresses persistent workforce challenges for area employers, while opening career pathways for un- and underemployed residents in the region. The initiative is driven by a diverse collaborative of leaders from business, economic development, philanthropy, workforce development, local government, training and education, and grassroots organizations. Work Train is using the core model from Health Train to establish similar programs in health care and manufacturing. The program provides training for new workers that will allow them to move into a job once the training is completed. It is collaboratively guided by leaders from business, philanthropy, economic and workforce development, training and education, local government and community-based organizations.

Impact

In the past 18 months, 131 individuals have been placed through Work Train. To date, Health Train has placed nearly 200 community residents into front-line jobs at SJH and other local health care organizations since 2012. Overall, Green Train placed more than 200 community residents into front-line jobs since 2008. Program graduates have exceptionally high rates of retention and advancement, despite low-income status and various barriers.

Lessons Learned

The Health Train program provided a model to establish a larger, community-wide initiative, Work Train.

Future Goals

In 2016, Work Train is working to expand programming to include training and advancement of front-line workers in health care, as well as new programming targeting the manufacturing industry.

Contact: Lisa Laribee
Manager, Grants & Foundation Relations
Telephone: 315-703-2135
Email: lisa.laribee@sjhsyr.org