The South Texas Community Health Workers Workforce Preparedness Collaborative (STCWPC), an initiative led by UT Health San Antonio, is celebrating the first community health worker apprentices to graduate from its program in South Texas during National Registered Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 17–23.
Established in 2022 to train community health workers (CHW), STCWPC integrates public health competencies into community health training, and advocates for greater CHW employment. These apprenticeship programs are relatively new in the field, but advocates believe they will help to elevate field growth through standardized professional development.
As part of its registered apprenticeship program, STCWPC provides annual stipends for CHW apprentices and mentors, manages documentation for the registered program, provides technical assistance in the design of apprentice evaluation and on-the-job training activities, and can support employers in finding complimentary funding for apprenticeship training.
Community First Health Plans, which offers health care coverage for individuals and families, recently graduated two employees from its apprenticeship program, leveraging support from STCWPC.
“I am so happy that this CHW apprenticeship program was able to address the workforce needs [Community First Health Plans] identified,” said Jason Rosenfeld, associate professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio and director of the STCWPC. “Community First provides the example, as the first employer to sign up for our registered apprenticeship program and have their apprentices complete their training, for how other health and social service agencies in the region can develop their own, in-house CHW training programs.”
The collaborative is looking to assist more employers in early 2025. To receive assistance, employers must reach out to STCWPC by mid-February 2025.
If you are a hiring manager or employer who wants to learn more about hiring or upskilling a CHW apprentice, watch the collaborative’s recent webinar “Hire a Community Health Worker Apprentice: We’ll do the Heavy Lifting.”
Watch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr7t3Uwjjhg&t=14s
For more information, contact Shayanne Martin at martins5@uthscsa.edu