California will need 500,000 new healthcare workers in the next 10 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the current workforce crisis in the healthcare system. Our mission at SEIU-UHW is to recruit and train quality students to meet the workforce needs of the future and become a stronger and more powerful workers’ organization.

At SEIU-UHW, we provide full-circle education opportunities for both members and our loved ones. We have a unique opportunity to give a tuition-free education to our friends and family so they become that next generation of caregivers. Futuro Health programs are designed to bring the people we trust the most into our field and into our union family, while giving them an opportunity for a stable, life changing career.

• Eligible SEIU-UHW members can access the Education Fund, which offers a wide variety of programs to train healthcare workers in positions UHW employers are looking to fill. The Ed Fund is committed to equity and inclusion through expanding opportunities for career advancement and skill building to develop a diverse talent pipeline that reflects our communities’ needs. Visit your MyUHW page to find the details of your contract.
• For our friends and family, and for non-Ed Fund-eligible members, we offer career pathway programs through Futuro Health. These tuition-free programs represent the classifications that are in the greatest need both in our facilities and in the state:

Welcome to Your Education Fund

By offering career counseling and training opportunities, we help SEIU-UHW members with their career possibilities, certifications, and tuition and fee reimbursements – all at no cost. To apply for Education Fund programs, visit our website or call 1-888-872-4606.

Programs and Services

• Preparation: Computer Classes, Medical Terminology, Foundational Math/Science, Online Soft Skills Courses, Language Programs and more.
• Career Pathways: Accelerated online programs to become qualified for key positions in allied health quickly, no matter where you are in your career. Opportunities include: Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, Sterile Processing, Mental Health and more!
• College Courses: Coastline Community College, is the Ed Fund’s preferred online school for those looking to take pre-requisites or complete a degree.

Futuro Health courses – for friends and family of SEIU-UHW members

Even before COVID-19, California would need 500,000 new allied healthcare workers like us by 2024. Now the need is even greater. If we do nothing, most jobs will go to lower-paid, non-union workers with minimal training – threatening our wages, benefits, and retirement. As healthcare workers, we know which family members and friends have what it takes to become a great caregiver. Now, we can give them scholarships to start a new career. Through Futuro Health, we can make sure the healthcare workers of the future reflect the communities we serve and become highly skilled, excellent workers in benefitted, middle-class SEIU-UHW jobs.

Course offerings in 2024 include Medical Assistant, ER Tech, Patient Care Tech.