Health City Cayman Islands and the National Workforce Development Agency (NWDA) have collaborated on an innovative program with the aim of providing young Caymanians the opportunity to become qualified support-level healthcare administrators.
With destination healthcare set to become the third pillar of the Cayman Islands economy, and due to the continued growth of Health City, the medically advanced hospital is cognizant of providing careers for Caymanians interested in the field of healthcare. Medical degrees and careers in the medical field are a top priority for the Government but many Caymanians are unaware of all the other rewarding jobs available in healthcare that do not require advanced training, and officials in the Ministry hope to change this.
“The Ministry of Employment and the NWDA are keen to tap into an industry that traditionally has attracted aspiring Caymanian doctors and nurses but one it recognizes can also lead to meaningful employment opportunities at the administration and support staff level,” said Dianne Conolly, NWDA Manager Training and Development.
The joint initiative, the Healthcare Apprentice Program, will provide Caymanians 19-25 years old with the opportunity to train for a diploma through Pitman®, a globally recognized institution providing training in Office, IT, Administration, Finance and Business, and offering a flexible approach to employee development. The cost of training for the administrative support-level healthcare positions of medical secretary or medical receptionist will be facilitated by grants through the Ministry of Education. Health City Cayman Islands will provide a one year paid apprenticeship during which the participant will be required to complete their studies, then continue their training full time at Health City Cayman Islands receiving practical, hands-on, experience while earning a stipend.
“We are committed to doing everything possible to train Caymanians for the variety of career tracks available at Health City Cayman Islands,” said Mr. Gene Thompson, Project Director. “We are, therefore, excited that our discussions with the NWDA have yielded such an exciting, mutually beneficial, program.”
“The Ministry is working along with Health City to expose Caymanians to job opportunities within the healthcare industry. This is evidenced by the internship opportunities the hospital has provided to almost 500 students and young Caymanians. The apprenticeship program now being launched takes this collaboration one step further by offering formal training to, and certification of the apprentices, which will make them more marketable and employable,” said Hon. Tara Rivers, Minister for Education, Employment and Gender Affairs. “I would like to thank Health City Cayman Islands for this exciting public-private partnership that aims to open new doors for young Caymanians seeking employment in the healthcare sector.”
“The Healthcare Apprentice Program will benefit our young Caymanians and enable to us to take an important step towards fulfilling our goal of creating 3,000 jobs for Caymanians. This will, ultimately, strengthen our ability to fulfill our mission of high-quality, compassionate healthcare,” said Mr. Charles D. Bush, Manager – Mission Integration & Spiritual Care at Health City Cayman Islands. “We are looking forward to mentoring and developing these future professionals, who will have the opportunity to apply for available full time positions, in the area they trained in, on completion of this program.”
Individuals interested in applying for the Health City Apprenticeship Program should contact the NWDA’s Training and Development Unit by email at nwda.apprenticeship@gov.ky or call 945-3114.
June 20, 2016 – Cayman Compass
