Partners in Career and Workforce Development

Partners in Career and Workforce Development (PCWD), led by Partners HealthCare, addresses labor shortages in nursing and other technical health care occupations by providing opportunities for entry-level workers and low-income Boston residents to begin a career in this industry.

Formed in 2004, PCWD builds on Partners’ teaching mission to create a range of learning opportunities for entry-level and incumbent employees who are capable and motivated to advance in health care. PCWD brings pre-employment and career development efforts under one umbrella, making them more accessible to entry-level workers and their supervisors. Almost 600 people have completed one or more PCWD programs, and 90 percent are employed in the industry.

Through SkillWorks, Partners is also developing hybrid courses, offered at community colleges, that integrate academic skill development with science prerequisites, and it is helping foreign-educated employees master professional-level English. PCWD career coaching helps participants understand and use career advancement opportunities and other supports available to them during the long process of completing the training that leads to better jobs in skilled health care occupations.

PCWD works with two founding hospitals, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Whittier Street Health Center, and WorkSource Partners for career coaching. Transition to Work provides pre-employment training to community residents. Jewish Vocational Service has been involved in curriculum development. PCWD is also working with the MGH Institute of Health Professions to develop curricula to train clinicians as educators as a strategy to address the shortage of health care faculty in community colleges.