Critical Pathways in California Health Education M. Adrienne Carlson RN MS Coordinator of Level I CSU Hayward Audience: Potential Industry Partners

Educational Pathway needs:  Streamlined access to higher education, High School through College.  Starting with High School: Academy or Vocational Training with Industry involvement allowing “Real World-Work Force” engagement/employment of students  Leading to employer supported Community College and/or University work force preparation.

The overall “Industry Partnership” would include:  The local target industry.  The schools (HS,CC,CSU/Universities) in a geographic area complementary to the industry of choice/need.  The student/potential-actual employee participants

These 3 partners:  Students,  Schools and  Industry: Would enter into a mutually beneficial educational relationship to create a high quality, educated, employable and vested workforce.

The Goals are:  A meaningful quality educational experience.  Early entry into the workforce.  Life long learning and job security for a secure and satisfying lifetime.

Education and Industry Collaboration Community College Cal State/ Universities Industry Partnerships High School

Streamlining ……Means…… Articulation  Equal content/credit for agreed upon core classes in Health Sciences.  College Credit for some Higher Level High School classes.  Assurance that core classes at Community Colleges in common with CSU/Universities will receive equal/transferring credit.  HS/CC?CSU credit for qualifying work study.

High School Industry  Academy or Vocational/Technical Programs with emphasis in core areas  Bio/Health Sciences  Business/Finance  Public/Human Services  Engineering/Computer Science  Media/Arts and Communication  Field Trips  Job Shadowing  Internships  Certifications  Summer Jobs  Employmenrt

Community Industry College  General Education  2 year “AA” Degree in area of choice. Examples:  Health Careers  Human Resources  Computer/Technical  Business/Finance Continue to provide:  Internships  Summer Jobs  Employment  On the job training and certifications.  Incentive programs for employees to continue their education through Bachelors degree and beyond….

CSU/ Industry University  Clear articulation “planning” between programs of like content for smooth transition at semester/year breaks.  Recognition of similar core class requirements and content. Continue to provide:  Internships  Employment  On the job training and certifications  Incentive programs for employees to continue education through Bachelors degree and beyond……

Example Pathway: Bio/Health Science Focus: “Nursing”

Nursing: High School Goals  CPR/ First Aid Certifications  Health Form Compliance  Certified Nurses Aide Training and State Certification  Internship and “Employment” with an/the Industry Partner

Nursing: Community College and/or CSU/University Goals  Continued Employment with Industry Partner.  Flexible scheduling, medical benefits and income while attending college to become a RN.  Becoming a Registered Nurse while remaining in the “active” Health Care “workforce”!

What’s in it for:  The Student: Continuous employment, income, and experience in their field of choice from High School onward……  The Industry Partner: An immediate and ongoing increase in qualified members to their workforce from entry level through advanced practitioner with a commitment to their facility.

What’s in it for:  The Nursing Profession: An increase in young, dedicated and quality educated members to the profession in the face of the current nursing shortage and an aging population of currently practicing nurses.  Society: Assurance of continued quality nursing care being available for ourselves, our families and our elderly in the 21 st century.

What the plan will look like:  A student that has completed High School Training and become certified as a CNA is hired by the Industry Partner.  Once employed by the Industry Partner and accepted to the Community College or CSU/University Partnership school of choice the employee would apply to the educational partnership program.

Details…details…..  Preference (by percentage) would be given at each step to those participating at the previous level of the partnership programs to consideration for participation at the next step.  Sets of participants would be paired-up as “job shares”.

More details…..  Each Job Share Partner would work the equivalent of 3 days a week or 12 days a month.  Between the job share partners they would be required to cover no less than 2 week-ends a month (could be more) and all holidays.  Excessive sick leave limits would be set and if exceeded could result in termination of the contract.

Sharing responsibilities  Responsibility for submitting their schedule and meeting the requirements would be that of the job share partners.  Both job share partners would receive (major) medical coverage.  If only major (hospitalization) covered then the school partner of choice would supply the primary health care.

Partnering  In return the Student partners would sign a contract agreeing to these terms and an agreed upon period of full time (or.9/.8) employment (2 years ?) in the next level job description for the Industry Partner.  Should a Community College Partcipant decide to switch to a CSU/University Partnership Program they would be encouraged to do so with documentation of this intent required as an amendment to their contract.  The contract would stay in force until the participant completes their schooling.

Outcomes  The program would be designed so that any employee could apply to participate at any level of the program.  The beginning of both the CC and the CSU should be structured to allow CAN certification at the end of the 1 st semester or 2 nd quarter as appropriate.  This will allow students to enter the workforce and this partnership easily at the college level.

Details….  It will be the responsibility of the School Partners to “articulate” their programs such that a student could transfer easily between participating at Community Colleges and CSU/Universities at the end of:  1 st semester CC into 3 rd quarter CSU.  End of 1 st year CC into 2 nd year CSU.  An RN to BSN program will be provided for AA RN’s to become BSN’s.

In Summary:  The overall “Industry Partnership” would include the:  Industry: Hospital/HMO.  The Schools: HS, CC, CSU/University. (located in a geographic area complementary to the industry)  The Student/Employee participants.