My UHW
homecare
hospitals & clinics
kaiser
convalescent
professional council
education & training
politics & activism
box bottom

Sign up for updates

First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
I work at a:

Career Upgrade Programs

Sign up for career counseling

Working in partnership with community colleges, Kaiser Permanente, and  public and private funding agencies, the Shirley Ware Education Center has developed a unique Career Mobility upgrade training model for healthcare workers. Under this program, SEIU-UHW members receive full pay and college credit while preparing for a new healthcare position. Trainees frequently complete the course of study in a shorter time than most college programs. Upon successful completion, graduates are guaranteed positions in the new classification on which they bid by seniority prior to entering the program. This successful model has been replicated with other healthcare employers, and we continue to explore opportunities to expand the program

Accomplishments

Our career upgrade program has been one of the most successful programs SWEC has had to offer. At healthcare facilities throughout Northern California, we have successfully trained and placed:

  • 90 Acute Care Nurse Assistants
  • 56 Unit Assistants
  • 49 Medical Assistants
  • 17 Surgical Technologists
  • 9 Sterile Processing Technicians

Also in partnership with several healthcare employers, we have provided support such as educational expenses, childcare, paid training time and counseling/case management to UHW members attending nursing programs. By the end of 2005, we will have graduated 24 LVNs and 129 RNs.

Current plans

  • We are exploring future upgrade opportunities with healthcare employers, based on their staffing needs.
  • We are finalizing plans for a CNA to LVN program in San Francisco. Working with City College of San Francisco, the SF Department of Public Health, and longterm care employers, we are developing a program which includes a summer bridge program to prepare participants for the LVN program, and paid training time during the school year.
  • We are seeking to develop similar Career Mobility programs with other healthcare employers.
  • We are exploring ways to bring career upgrade opportunities to UHW members in Southern California

We plan to continue and expand our upgrade training programs as we are able to develop strong employer partner relationships and funding sources. SEIU UHW members who are interested in upgrade training should meet with a SWEC Career Counselor.

Surgical Technician Graduates
Surgical Technologist Graduates (above)
Sterile Processing Technician Graduates (below)

Sterile Processing Graduates