Rural Roads to Connected Care

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many displaced workers in rural communities are in dire financial circumstances and need to identify careers that can more easily weather economic ups and downs.

Rural businesses are more vulnerable to economic downturns, such as the current pandemic, and jobs in rural communities often have less stability and may be more easily lost than jobs in urban areas. The healthcare industry offers a number of advantages for people living in rural areas.

Although, the healthcare industry is not immune to economic instability, the field is more recession-proof than most industries.

These trainings will also prepare eligible individuals for how healthcare is going to be delivered post-pandemic. The pandemic led to changes in how healthcare is delivered. Many of those changes are enduring after the pandemic is over. The changes have been particularly extensive in areas of health technologies (e.g., heightened use of telehealth & remote monitoring, increased need for digital security).

RRCC offers individualized and customized training to unemployed and under-employed individuals, primarily in the form of registered state apprenticeship programs and industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.

Individuals must be:

• 17 years old or older
• Eligible to work in the U.S.
• Not enrolled in high school

Priority is given to veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members.

CommHIT is dedicated to serving a wide variety of individuals demographically, many of whom are not well-represented in current training and apprenticeship programs, including minorities, women, and eligible individuals who previously have been involved with the criminal justice system.

RRCC participants are to gain the training and experience needed to succeed in a healthcare career – ultimately, maximizing their employability and earnings potential. The program includes support services for training. For participants who have need, it can also pay for transportation, equipment, tools, and uniforms.

Funded by a four-year H-1B grant from the DoL, RRCC coordinates with rural local workforce development boards, education and training institutions, employers, pre-apprenticeships and secondary school career and technical education programs to provide on-the-job training and educational instruction for 250 individuals with appropriate skills and experience for positions in healthcare.

RRCC works with a variety of trusted partners to spread the word on this workforce solution; expand and establish apprenticeships in healthcare; and enroll participants in this opportunity to grow their career in healthcare.

Partners are:

• Education Providers
• Workforce Development Boards
• Employers
• Professional Associations

RRCC works in collaboration with rural healthcare employers to identify, train, and employ people who are beginning or changing careers and need to learn occupation-specific and work-readiness skills to become economically self-sufficient.

Contact Makaya McKnight at MMcKnight@pcgus.com, and she’ll get you to the appropriate contact for your workforce training need. We look forward to hearing from you!