ADVOCATE SUPPORTS CHICAGO UNEMPLOYED WOMEN WITH HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE

LaTara Ward, who is a 2016 recipient of Advocate’s Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, helps care for patient Kelsey Sopchyk, who is Advocate’s Public Affairs Coordinator Photo Courtesy of Kelsey Sopchyk
LaTara Ward, who is a 2016 recipient of Advocate’s Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, helps care for patient Kelsey Sopchyk, who is Advocate’s Public Affairs Coordinator Photo Courtesy of Kelsey Sopchyk

ADVOCATE SUPPORTS CHICAGO UNEMPLOYED WOMEN WITH

HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE

By Christopher Shuttlesworth

JPMorgan Chase and Advocate Health Care leadership, elected officials and community leaders joined together on April 20, 2017 at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, located on 836 W. Wellington

Ave., to celebrate more than 90 Healthcare Workforce Collaborative graduates.

“This health care-focused, skills-based training initiative connects Chicagoland’s underemployed and unemployed residents with high-quality, in-demand jobs, like pharmacy technicians or certified nursing

assistants, in the rapidly growing health care industry.

After successful completion of the training program and licensing exam, all participants are guaranteed an interview with Advocate and job placement assistance,” according to an Advocate Health Care press release. The initiative has trained more than 200 participants and has

a 90% graduation rate.

LaTara Ward, who was one of the 2016 recipients of Advocate’s Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, said it was always her dream to be a nursing assistant, but didn’t have the adequate funds to attend training school.

Ward said when she heard of Advocate’s Healthcare Workforce, she immediately got on board.

“This program has added to my life in a very positive way because this was always something that I always looked forward to doing,” Ward said.

“This was a career step for me and for this program to come along at the time that it did was a blessing for my family and myself.”She said no one should join the Advocate’s Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, unless they are committed to serving others.

“You have to have the heart in order to do this type of work,” Ward said. “But if this is what you’ve been thinking about and if this is where your heart is, then women should join the program because it’s not the average program that gives you a job. I’ve formed relationships

and I appreciate that the Advocate is concerned about me going further in my career.”

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