Empire State University Joins FutureReadyNYC Healthcare Pathway Accelerator to Create New Career Pathways for NYC Students
Careerwise, a nonprofit organization focusing on workforce development through youth apprenticeships, recently announced the creation of the FutureReadyNYC Healthcare Pathway Accelerator. This initiative is designed to provide youth apprenticeship opportunities in healthcare to high schoolers across New York City. Students will have the opportunity to access paid, multi-year earn-and-learn pathways at leading healthcare institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian.
SUNY Empire will ensure that students are able to access clear pathways to college credit and degree attainment – which aligns perfectly with its mission to provide flexible, accessible education that meets students where they are in their educational and professional journeys.
“Building real economic opportunity means forging education-to-career pathways that are accessible, aligned, and employer-driven,” said Krystal Ripa, director of workforce development. “Here at SUNY Empire, we are proud to support Careerwise and the FRNYC Healthcare Pathway Accelerator that blend academic rigor with meaningful work experiences, expanding upward mobility and advancing workforce readiness for learners of all backgrounds.”
“As a professor of nursing with more than thirty years of experience across the healthcare continuum, I have seen firsthand that nearly every healthcare role—clinical, technical, and support—is facing unprecedented workforce strain,” said Maureen Kroning, professor of Nursing and workforce fellow. “Meeting this demand requires partnering with high schools to offer early college credit and paid, learn-and-earn pathways that allow students to enter the healthcare workforce sooner while continuing their education. These education-to-career partnerships are essential to building a sustainable and equitable healthcare workforce for New York state.”
“This partnership shows the power of employers and labor coming together around a shared talent solution in one of our most critical sectors—healthcare,” said Brent Parton, President of CareerWise. “Together, we’re finishing the job of career pathways for young people by creating a real bridge to good jobs and careers through debt-free, earn-and-learn opportunities. The FRNYC Healthcare Pathway Accelerator is a model for the nation, demonstrating how K–12, higher education, and industry can unite to meet urgent workforce needs while unlocking opportunity for the next generation.”