More than 1,000 AHIMA Foundation apprentices will help close the healthcare skills gap
Helping organizations meet their workforce goals is a priority for the AHIMA Foundation’s (@AHIMAFoundation) registered apprenticeship program, which provides an important avenue for healthcare organizations to identify and train employees. Four years after the inception of the program, interest in the apprenticeship has grown resulting in the registration of 1,035 apprentices and 128 employers exceeding the grant’s goal of 1,000 registered apprentices a full year before the grant’s end date.
In 2015, the AHIMA Foundation was awarded $4.9 million by the Department of Labor (DOL) to fund the Managing the Talent Pipeline in Health Information Apprenticeship program. Due to the low number of registered apprentices in healthcare prior to the grant, the Foundation made an effort to engage with industry employers, which became key to the program’s success.
The ability of the AHIMA Foundation’s program to meet the grant outcomes was publicly complimented at the American Apprenticeship Initiative’s Grantee National Meeting that took place in Washington, D.C. in August. The program was featured in a case study highlighting the Foundation’s ability to shift their implementation strategy, with approval from the DOL, and act as intermediary between employers resulting in greater success.
“I am pleased with the progress the Foundation has been able to make embedding apprenticeship as a workforce model in healthcare,” said Keith D. Terry, Executive Director of the AHIMA Foundation. “The immediate impact will be on the workforce. The long-term impact will improve healthcare for all.”
The Foundation’s apprenticeship program has been implemented in more than 30 states and is seeing positive results improving employee skills. The program is redefining healthcare and more than 100 communities are benefiting from a better skilled workforce to meet their healthcare needs.
“Apprenticeship has emerged as a proven model to meet the industry’s demand for a skilled workforce while also helping to close the skills gap,” noted Terry. The AHIMA Foundation’s program provides an industry recognized solution to address the gap between the needs of employers for skilled workforce and the skills currently available in their current workforce.
The benefits of this program—creating more qualified professionals, helping upskill existing employees and increasing retention rates—should not be over looked. The employer registration deadline for the Managing the Health Information Talent Pipeline apprenticeship program is December 31.
About the AHIMA Foundation
Established in 1962, the AHIMA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic affiliate of AHIMA. The Foundation envisions the future of healthcare, and prepares for that future with investments in research, workforce development, education, and innovative strategies that advance the HIM profession and, ultimately, better serve the healthcare community. The Foundation focuses on readying the HIM professionals of today to be the leaders of tomorrow. They operate under the values of philanthropy, innovation, leadership and integrity and strive to be recognized for excellence in health information leadership and research for the healthcare industry and the public.