Contributed by
Midlands Technical College

Midlands Technical College will receive $1,964,563 from the US Department of Labor to support the college’s Community–Based Job Training program, Creating Capacity in Health Services. MTC’s partners from the private and public sector, healthcare and education, will provide an additional $634,500 in in–kind services and matching funding in support of the initiative. The college’s partners include the Midlands Workforce Development Board, the Midlands Education and Business Alliance (MEBA), the Central SC Alliance, Doctors Care, South Carolina OB/GYN, Palmetto Health, and the South Carolina Midlands Emergency Medical Service Management Association.

Community–Based Job Training programs support career education for high growth industries through the nation's community and technical colleges. Of the nearly 400 proposals submitted to the US Department of Labor, Midlands Technical College is the only South Carolina college to receive this competitive federal assistance.

Commitments made through a robust community support system were critical in leveraging the receipt of competitive federal dollars. The partnership is indicative of the collaboration between Midlands Technical College, the healthcare community and the region’s community-based health organizations.

The program will strengthen MTC’s ability to respond to the critical healthcare employee shortage facing the region. Through Creating Capacity in Health Services, Midlands Technical College will connect potential health science students to targeted counseling and assessment services giving them a broad understanding of the spectrum of career possibilities within the healthcare field. The program provides a progressive career track for entry-level students to include incremental credential upgrading, clinical experiences, tutoring and participant tracking.

“It is vitally important to the economy and well–being of this region that we promote interest in high–demand healthcare fields,” said Dr. Barry Russell, MTC President. “This is not just a problem for our region; it is a critical concern for healthcare providers nationally.”

A unique component of MTC’s Creating Capacity program is the development of a health services career ladder. Through it, Midlands Technical College will provide solutions to the tactical problems faced in introducing more individuals into the health professions pipeline.

“We did a critical evaluation of the needs of local healthcare providers and realized the college could guide students into a variety of health related professions,” said Dr. Gina Mounfield, MTC Vice President for Career Programs. “We expect this program to play a significant role in ensuring a continuity of qualified employees for the comprehensive healthcare industry.”

“We value the caliber and skill level of graduates of Midlands Technical College’s varied health sciences programs,” said Willis Gregory, Senior Vice President for Human Resources at Palmetto Health. “We welcome the opportunity to be able to hire additional staff from the pool that will be trained under this new program.” Willis said the Creating Capacity in Health Services program is “a sound, logical method to systematically and strategically address the challenges faced by our industry.”

Mike Briggs, Executive Director of the Central SC Alliance, pledged his organization’s support in implementing the Creating Capacity initiative. “We are helping to guide the implementation of this aggressive, dynamic program that will address the critical skill needs in what is the largest labor market segment in the Midlands,” said Briggs.

Creating Capacity in Health Services participants will receive interventions that will significantly reduce the rate of attrition, and subsequently advance completion rates and provide additional workers to the regional health services system.

“Regional unemployment is very high, so it seems illogical that there is such a health services labor shortage. MTC’s health sciences programs are essential to meeting the employment needs of Doctors Care," said Jerry Wells, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Doctors Care. “Therefore, finding a way to increase MTC’s capacity to meet our staffing needs is essential to providing the community with the best in emergency medical care,” said Wells.

At least 429 area participants will be served in the first year.