Providence Alaska Medical Center looks beyond borders for workforce

Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) in Anchorage, Ala. thinks outside the box when it comes to recruiting for their workforce. Through a 10-year-old program in partnership with Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services (RAIS), PAMC has helped refugees from countries like Sudan, Afghanistan and Ukraine undergo training and secure employment and benefits in a variety of positions at the hospital.

RAIS, which was formed as a safety net to help newly arrived refugees transition to life in Alaska, offers language classes, six months of paid job training and an eventual paid position to program participants. Since 2013, they’ve been working with PAMC to help refugees take on hospital roles in areas like laundry, environmental services, food and nutrition, general stores and more.

This partnership not only helps ease the transition for those arriving to the U.S. for the first time, but provides a stream of dependable, hardworking employees who – once they receive support and kindness – find lifelong careers at PAMC.

And PAMC’s work within the community doesn’t stop there, as RAIS is one of dozens of community programs PAMC supports via community investment. Read this Providence blog to learn more about how PAMC employs newly settled refugees.