Organizational example:
PROMISE Project
Organization/Program |
Academy for Practical Nursing and Health Occupations |
Program Purpose |
To address the shortage of health care workers in the Palm Beach area, and to help the underemployed and underserved residents of Palm Beach County to embrace a career in the health care field. |
Program Description |
In 2001, local leaders from employment, education, and economic development programs collaborated to form the PROMISE Project, which stands for Preventing Recidivism with Opportunities, Mandates, and Initiatives for Successful Employment. Students’ entry level needs are determined using the TABE assessment. Opportunities for various health care career pathways include: Certified Nursing Assistant; Patient Care Assistant; Patient Care Technician; Medical Assistant; Pharmacy Technician; and LPN. The customized training curriculum includes life-management, professional decorum, work-readiness as well as special technical training. In addition, fees for state and national certification tests are included. Incumbent worker training was introduced to help update the skills of those already working in healthcare. |
Progress |
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2005 report, ETA Recognition of Excellence, “100 percent of program participants completed their curriculum. Recently, community leaders have recognized the renewed vitality of the healthcare industry in Palm Beach County and proposed initiatives which would introduce a state-of-the-art bio-medical industrial park, introduce a new research hospital, expand the county’s open heart surgery capability, and expand cancer treatment options within the county.” While the grant ended in 2005, most of the PROMISE Project’s core competencies have been replicated and integrated into the Academy’s various adult and youth programs. |
Contact Information |
Lois Gackenheimer, Director |
Information from Lois Gackenheimer of the Academy for Practical Nursing and Health Occupations and from U.S. Department of Labor, 2005.