We support workforce development programs for jobs in which there is a hiring need and an employer willing to hire based on objective criteria such as a certification or satisfactory completion of defined curricula. We found such an opportunity in healthcare. We expanded The New Jewish Home’s SkillSpring program which educates and trains Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). The SkillSpring program provides wraparound support, comprehensive workforce training and youth development programming to young adults (ages 18-24) who are out-of-school/out-of-work in cohorts of 15 young adults each.
Since launching the program at RiverSpring in 2022, four cohorts have served 60 young adults. Of these, 67% earned CNA credentials, and 73% were placed in employment or enrolled in post-secondary education. Fifty-three percent were placed in unsubsidized employment, with 43% securing roles in healthcare. The program has also expanded to three additional skilled nursing facilities (ArchCare, Isabella, and Menorah).
This partnership is creating a talent pipeline model that will benefit additional healthcare facilities in New York City and beyond. The program’s focus on tailored screening, career readiness and exam preparation has led to significant improvements in job placement outcomes, including a nearly 40% increase in participants securing healthcare employment. As of 2024, 74% of participants across all cohorts were placed in employment, and 67% were placed in healthcare jobs.
SkillSpring is also now piloting a Registered Apprenticeship Program for CNA graduates in partnership with 1199SEIU and the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development, providing paid on-the-job training and mentorship aimed at long-term job retention and advancement.