New grant to advance health care careers in Iowa

A new grant has been established to address Iowa’s need to grow its healthcare workforce in communities across the state.

The Iowa Healthcare Credentialing Grant is open to eligible health care employers and is accepting applications on iowagrants.gov. Grant applications are due no later than 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19.

The grant will provide $3 million in total funding to create new pipelines of workers to help fill high-demand occupations in the health care sector. Awarded programs must be work-based learning (WBL) programs with an earn and learn component, which can include registered apprenticeships (RA), on-the-job training programs, or related programs that upskill or re-skill workers. 

“In rural and urban communities alike, access to high-quality healthcare depends on having a robust workforce in high-demand health careers,” Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a recent news release. “This unique grant opportunity promises to do just that, bringing more medical professionals to every part of our state while strengthening our healthcare talent pipeline for many years to come.”

Eligible employers can utilize the new opportunity to expand existing models or implement newly designed earn and learn programs in designated high-demand occupations such as a registered nurse, direct support professional, laboratory assistant or technician, paramedic, dental assistant or hygienist, and more.

“Healthcare jobs have never been more important to our workforce than they are today, but that doesn’t mean that it should be difficult to start a career in its many important occupations,” Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), said in the release. The grant, she added, will “accelerate the pathway to a healthcare career in the areas that need them most. I encourage any eligible healthcare employer to consider how this opportunity can enhance your workforce.”

For more information, go here. Also, the IWD will host a webinar on grant opportunities at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5. Go here to sign up for this event.

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