Organization Information
Funding Information
Total Funding Received
$74,874
Type of Funding Received
Accelerator Fund
Student Information
Who were the intended beneficiaries?
Students of color, low-income learners, first-generation learners, rural learners, and adult learners.
How many students were served?
20 students in the first cohort
Program Information
A pilot program to mitigate instructor shortages, enabling more healthcare pathway students.
Research
Sierra College and Kaiser Permanente engaged in the Talent Pipeline Management strategy around healthcare workforce development, supported by the Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Dignity Health, Sutter Health, UC Davis Health, and Raley’s had institutional representatives who spent the prior 18 months evaluating labor market information and internal human resources job projection data across Greater Sacramento to assess real-time workforce needs in allied health careers.
This workgroup identified five allied health careers as top priorities based on projected job growth as well as recruitment challenges for qualified applicants: technologist roles in surgical and operating rooms, radiology, ultrasound, cardiovascular, and pharmacy departments. The group also identified two significant factors limiting the pipeline of qualified applicants for these high-paying jobs in the region: allied health instructor recruitment and retention, and insufficient clinical placement opportunities for students to meet state certification requirements.
How is this project reaching high-priority or underserved student populations?
Across Greater Sacramento, several allied health careers are facing serious recruitment challenges even as job demand grows. For underserved students, these high-paying careers have remained out of reach due to two persistent barriers: a shortage of qualified instructors and limited clinical placement opportunities required for state certification.
By increasing the number of qualified allied health faculty at Sierra College, more students will be able to obtain much-needed allied health certificates — resulting in better job opportunities for underserved student populations.
What Is Different Now Because of the Work You Were Funded to Accomplish?
This pilot is charting new territory. By carefully documenting the process, challenges, and successes along the way, Sierra College and Kaiser Permanente are building a replicable model that others can adopt. The benefits extend beyond the classroom, as participating health system professionals gain meaningful professional development, leadership exposure, and the opportunity to give back to their communities.
As more qualified faculty join the program and clinical placement opportunities expand, Sierra College anticipates increased enrollment in allied health programs — creating a direct pipeline to well-paying careers for underserved students across the region.