Our first Healthcare Career Pathway Fair of 2024 is a wrap! More than 600 students from across Southern and Southeastern Kentucky attended our event on February 15 at the Corbin Arena.
Shaping Our Appalachian Region started this initiative two years ago as a way to deepen connections to healthcare providers and training providers with high school students and teachers. This could not be possible without the support of our corporate partners and event sponsors. Our sponsors were:
- MAI Management Advisors
- The Forcht Group
- Kentucky Hospital Association
- Kentucky Public Health
- Kentucky Primary Care Association
- Baptist Health Corbin
- Saint Joseph London
Our Why
Healthcare jobs are in high demand now and are expected to grow. According to the Council on Post-Secondary Education, healthcare jobs will grow 29% through 2029.
This requires not only planning but also urgent action. Healthcare providers have created innovative pathways, starting with programs in high schools to provide pathways to jobs and continuing education.
There’s no conventional pathway anymore. For example, those wishing to become a nurse could go to college full-time. Or they could earn a credential and work at a hospital while also going to school to become a nurse — and get financial support from their employer.
This level of support and commitment eliminates barriers but provides greater access for students to reach their potential with a good-paying job here in Kentucky’s Appalachian region.
The healthcare workforce challenge is a national challenge. Our solution is homegrown. That’s why Shaping Our Appalachian Region created The Eastern Kentucky Healthcare Action Plan.
This plan asks the questions:
- What’s at stake for Eastern Kentucky’s hospitals?
- How would the current trajectory impact our community’s future quality of life?
- How can we prepare more Eastern Kentucky residents for healthcare careers?
- What solutions are available today?
An Interactive Experience
Shaping Our Appalachian Region’s Healthcare Career Pathway Fair is an immersive and interactive experience for students.
The following healthcare facilities provided educational sessions:
Aside from the educational sessions, students also visited an Expo Hall with more than 20 colleges and universities, and healthcare providers, sharing information on jobs, training, and pathways to training and employment.
Thank You To Our Participating Schools
We would like to thank the following schools for their participation in the 2024 Healthcare Career Pathway Fair.
- Corbin Area Technology Center
- Pulaski County High School
- Pulaski Southwestern High School
- Science Hill High School
- Jackson County Area Technology Center
- Red Bird Mission
- Somerset High School
- McCreary Central High School
- Williamsburg High School
- Clay County High School
- North Laurel High School
- Barbourville High School
Thank You To Our Partners
None of this would be possible without our partners. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the following organizations:
- Addiction Recovery Care
- Appalachian Regional Healthcare
- Baptist Health Corbin
- Barbourville Health and Rehabilitation Center
- Corbin Health and Rehabilitation Center
- Eastern Kentucky University
- Galen College of Nursing
- Grace Health
- Hillcrest Health and Rehabilitation Center
- Kentucky Department for Public Health
- Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital
- Morehead State University
- Pikeville Medical Center
- Pineville Community Health
- Somerset Community College
- St. Claire HealthCare
- CHI Saint Joseph Health
- Union College
- University of the Cumberlands
- UK Healthcare
- Hazard Community and Technical College
- Hazard and Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Physical Therapy Assistant Program
See It On Socials
Our team was able to perfectly capture the day and we’d love for you to see what all the excitement is about! Check out our TikTok to see our students “one word takeaways” from the event! You can also view our event photo album on Facebook and tag any familiar faces you may see.
Next Up
We will be hosting our second Healthcare Career Pathway Fair on Thursday, March 21 at the University of Pikeville. If you would like to attend or participate, click here.