The demand for skilled healthcare professionals in the U.S. is higher than ever. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, total employment in healthcare is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations with a projected 1.9 million job openings annually through 2033.
States like California, Florida, New York, and Texas with the highest overall employment of health care professionals are feeling workforce shortages more acutely. Some regions of these states are seeing projected job growth at double or triple the national average for roles like nurses, dental hygienists, medical assistants, respiratory therapists and other diagnostic or allied health professionals.
Job growth is expected to continue for these essential workers as the U.S. population ages. By 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 or older, and a quality, well-trained healthcare workforce will be needed to support Baby Boomers.
Now more than ever, employers and educators must partner on innovative solutions to meet the unprecedented demand for a skilled dental and healthcare workforce.
Five Key Ways for Employers and Educators to Partner
Strong employer-educator partnerships allow employers to help shape the training students receive to ensure graduates are workforce ready. The following are effective ways I’ve seen employers partner with educators, leading to the successful recruitment of skilled healthcare workers.
1. Advisory Committees
Most healthcare-focused colleges and universities have program-level advisory committees, or PACs. Serving on a PAC gives area employers the opportunity to weigh in on the curriculum and equipment used in the classroom to ensure alignment with industry needs and the latest technological advancements.
2. Hosting Clinical Sites
Hosting clinicals is one of the most critical areas where employers can lend support. Clinical capacity is a leading cause for capping enrollment in critical healthcare programs. In nursing, for example, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing found that the most frequent reason qualified applicants were rejected from nursing programs was due to the insufficient availability of clinical sites.
When employers provide students with real-world learning opportunities by hosting clinical sites and externships, they begin to foster critical relationships with potential future hires. These early work experiences help prepare students for the workforce and allow employers to build a strong talent pipeline.
Think of this as an extended interview with built-in on-the-job training on your systems and procedures. Because clinical students must undergo some level of screening and paperwork, much of their onboarding is already complete. Hiring standout students is that much more seamless after they graduate.
3. Financial Support for Student/Graduates
Offering scholarships, tuition assistance, loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs are key areas of support that employers are starting to offer for hard to fill dental and healthcare roles. Research suggests that this is particularly effective in rural and underserved communities.
Another successful tactic we’ve seen employers take is to offer a forgivable loan tied to the term of service to their organization. Graduates repay anywhere from zero to 75 percent, depending on the number of years they stay employed with the healthcare system.
4. Online and Customized Training Programs
Providing valued employees with an opportunity to upskill is a powerful retention strategy – particularly in regions that feel workforce shortages more acutely. Employers can partner with educators through existing online programs or by developing customized programs to fill high-demand roles.
One example of this is Concorde Career Colleges’ online respiratory therapy program. We’re partnering with rural and remote hospital systems to address the need for this vital role. The health systems identify existing employees who are interested in pursuing a respiratory therapy career and sponsor part or all of their tuition cost. Concorde provides all didactic, foundational online coursework and instruction, and our employer partners provide the clinical sites and preceptors to supervise the hands-on training needed to prepare these future healthcare professionals.
Technological advancements are also impacting care delivery and administration. As AI and automation continue to be incorporated into the workplace, healthcare workers must become proficient in emerging technologies to assist in diagnostics, treatment plans, and patient monitoring.
Sometimes new roles emerge to address these technological changes, which require a new type of skilled worker. To address this, employers can reach out to a trusted education institution and inquire about creating a customized training program—with the understanding that it could take some time to build, staff, and seek regulatory approval.
5. Employer Investment in Partner Schools
Some employers are investing in their future workforce by increasing financial support for educational institutions that have deep expertise, strong curriculum and a track record of successful student outcomes.
This can be as simple as donating a single piece of key medical equipment or technology that is ideal for graduates to master in preparation for their profession, or as significant as underwriting the startup costs for campuses specifically designed to train an employer’s future workforce.
For example, Concorde recently announced a partnership with Heartland Dental, one of the largest dental support organizations in the nation, to develop a co-branded campus for dental hygiene and dental assistant programs. Heartland is funding the construction, including durable equipment and initial supplies, as well as providing student scholarships.
The partnership will help address Heartland’s significant need for dental hygienists and dental assistants in high-demand markets. The first campus in Fort Myers, Florida, will train up to 190 dental hygienists and dental assistants annually, using Concorde’s curriculum, instructors, and student support services.
The Path Forward
When employers and educational institutions work closely together, students gain real-world training that better prepares them for the healthcare field. In whatever partner form it takes, building and strengthening employer-educator relationships will be critical to meeting evolving workforce demands.
The employers who recognize that they need to put some skin in the game will reap the biggest rewards—a pipeline of highly skilled healthcare professionals.
Kevin Prehn
Kevin Prehn is president of Concorde Career Colleges, where he leads a dedicated team across eight states, preparing tomorrow’s healthcare professionals for diverse, in-demand careers. Kevin’s transformative leadership recently secured Concorde the prestigious 2024 School of the Year recognition from the Career Colleges and Schools of Texas, the second consecutive year a Concorde campus earned the award, and the 2023 School of the Year recognition from the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools.
