Kellie Morton (SHARE Organizer and Patient Care Associate) and Janet Wilder (SHARE Organizer) at the recent Medical Assistant Apprenticeship press conference
“Many SHARE members want to learn and grow in their careers. But it’s tough to go to school when you have a job, and kids, and bills to pay. Registered apprenticeships are one way to ‘earn and learn,’ which is critical for many SHARE members,” said Janet Wilder, SHARE Organizer at a press conference on Wednesday.
SHARE and UMass Memorial are working together to create career paths for SHARE members to move up in the organization. On Wednesday, our organizations jointly announced an apprenticeship to train medical assistants, starting in the spring of 2024.
Massachusetts Secretary of Labor, Lauren Jones (speaking), with UMass Memorial’s Interim President Justin Precourt, and Director of Workforce Development and Planning, Kelley Aiken
Since our most recent contract negotiations ended – where we increased tuition benefits – SHARE has been working with UMass Memorial to create as many career pathways as possible. SHARE aims for members to have options for growth, and for UMass Memorial to have people to fill positions who are well-trained, who are committed to UMass Memorial and our patients, and who want to stay and grow their careers.
Kelly Aiken, Director of Workforce Development and Planning, UMass Memorial Health, spoke about the new career training programs and how our hospital focuses on “hot jobs,” which are both in high-demand and challenging to fill. Some of those roles include: Medical Assistants, PCAs, and Surgical Technologists.
Massachusetts Secretary of Labor, Lauren Jones, joined-in to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week. It turns out that our Medical Assistant registered apprenticeship will be the first healthcare registered apprenticeship in Central Massachusetts.
“I’ve worked at UMass Memorial for 31 years,” says Kellie Morton, Medical Office Assistant in the Oncology Clinic and part-time SHARE Organizer. “I started with a training class in Home Health offered by the hospital, and I’ve worked my way up. Now I’m a Medical Assistant. It’s been an honor to help to design the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program. We need more Medical Assistants to fill jobs, and giving opportunities to our own caregivers is huge. We’re excited to help train the new apprentices by precepting them during their on-the-job training. I want everyone to have opportunities!”
The career training programs that we create together – union and management -- will be stronger and better because they take into front-line SHARE members’ experience and knowledge.
If you are interested in the Medical Assistant apprenticeship, watch for more information in the new year. There will be room for 10 students in the first group, and we will grow from there.
UMass Memorial’s Director of Workforce Development and Planning, Kelley Aiken, announces the forthcoming “Earn and Learn” apprenticeship program where employees can advance their schooling and their career while working. Watch the story on local SpectrumNews1.