Ascentra Credit Union has donated $50,000 to the Trinity Health Foundation to support its Career Pathways Pilot Program.
This program combines outreach and navigation to help students currently enrolled in a traditional Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) program through a newly created career navigator position.
The donation will be distributed to Trinity’s foundation over the next two years through $25,000 increments. It will help support the cost of the career navigator in the Quad Cities.
“The need for a position such as a career navigator is higher than it’s ever been,” Mary Macumber Schmidt, president of Trinity Health Foundation, said in a news release. “The current and future need for qualified healthcare staff far exceeds the number of individuals who have the required certifications and education.”
Although there are existing programs in place to assist with tuition and other expenses such as childcare and transportation, many students feel they are unable to give up their existing job for up to 24 months – the typical time it takes to complete a traditional medical certification program – and still make ends meet.
“This is a critical roadblock for people with a passion to pursue a career in healthcare,” said Ms. Macumber Schmidt.
The new career navigator position will play a crucial role in helping students understand all the support and assistance available whether for education, stipends/supplemental income, barrier assistance or in registering for courses and assessing many career path options.
“A robust healthcare system is important to the health of our community and helping this foundation proactively prepare for the future healthcare needs of our area aligns perfectly with the mission of Ascentra and the credit union philosophy of people helping people,” Linda Andry, president and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union.
The Trinity career navigator will guide individuals in the Quad Cities Pathways Pilot Program. Their goal will be to link candidates to needed support and programs to help them through their educational journey in healthcare, helping eliminate many of the barriers students face in successfully completing all coursework to pass certification programs.
