Growth and development opportunities
education and training
It’s a complex situation.
We know we can’t recruit our way out of this. Our training and retaining initiatives are being designed to make it easier for current and prospective employees to move into jobs that are in high demand. Wherever we can, we are exploring strategies to reduce or eliminate the financial and logistical obstacles that can stand in the way of people looking for jobs in health care.
A selection of our programs includes:
Paramedic Education Program
This 18-month program at Elizabethtown Community Hospital is the first paramedic training course in the area to be accredited by the New York State Department of Health. The most recent class included 19 students, with full placement into available jobs. Additional candidates are needed for this growing field.
Nurse Residency Program
Nurse residency and training programs for RN, LPN, LNA and CNA positions exist across UVM Health Network to help employees transition into new roles and gain experience in a supportive environment.
Pathways Programs
These programs, which are in operation across the UVM Health Network, allow employees to expand their skills, progress from one position to another and develop their careers by providing training and educational resources. Examples include the Medical Assistant (MA) Pathway Program, the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Pathway Program and the Registered Nurse (RN) Pathway Program.
Initiatives in motion:
Investment in employee housing and child care
To recruit and retain the workforce we need and reduce our reliance on expensive temporary workers, the UVM Health Network is taking a bold, new step by investing in two housing complexes for our employees, one of which will contain a child care center. While the two initial projects will be built in South Burlington, similar projects are being explored in our other service areas in Vermont and northern New York.
The first south burlington project will consist of
61 apartments.
The second south burlington project will consist of
120 apartments PLUS a child care center for 75 children.
See how these projects can make a difference:
Surgical Tech Pathway Program
Participants from UVM Medical Center, Central Vermont Medical Center and Porter Medical Center receive comprehensive surgical tech training at no cost, while at the same time being paid.
Training program for careers in phlebotomy
With a marked shortage of phlebotomists, we are promoting our longstanding partnership between the UVM Medical Center and the Institute for American Apprenticeship that offers an innovative training initiative that prepares graduates to become certified phlebotomists and guarantees them a job at the UVM Medical Center following graduation.
Employee satisfaction initiatives
We strive to create an inclusive, welcoming workplace that fosters a sense of belonging. We are supporting this effort by:
- Hiring our first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the UVM Health Network.
- Putting into place a more flexible approach for some roles to move into hybrid and remote work.
- Refocusing our new employee orientation process on fostering a sense of community and encouraging self-growth from day one, and highlighting development opportunities at the UVM Health Network at the outset of employment.
Clinical Assistant Program
This new, six-week program at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) trains qualified applicants to provide hands-on patient care as Clinical Assistants. During their training, which includes 240 hours of classroom instruction and clinical rotations, participants earn $16.85 an hour. Graduates receive a choice of vacant Clinical Assistant positions on a variety of nursing units; a Clinical Assistant hourly wage, $18.20 an hour; and a $4,000 sign-on bonus.