Page 36 - SKILLS - 2023

Healthcare:
A Thriving Industry with Thousands of Openings
BY STACEY PFEFFER
INDUSTRIES IN FOCUS
There’s good news if you are thinking of joining the healthcare field in Westchester County: healthcare is one of the hottest industries in the 914, and the demand for talented workers is on the rise.
Indeed.com posts 16,000 job listings weekly in Westchester County. Of those, “approximately 6,000 are healthcare-related and six of the top 10 employers in the county are in the healthcare field,” says Jason Chapin, director of workforce development at the Westchester County Association (WCA). Furthermore, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare jobs are expected to grow by 15% in the next decade, so if you are looking for a job with stability, security, and opportunities for career advancement, healthcare just might fit the bill.
“Since the pandemic hit, healthcare employers are scrambling to fill positions for various reasons, from the Great Resignation to ongoing health concerns with long-haul COVID,” explains Chapin. “It is a big challenge for employers.”
Diane Woolley, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at White Plains Hospital, echoes Chapin’s comments: “We are finding that the shortage of qualified workers continues to be a challenge, especially for positions that require specialized training, but not necessarily a four- year degree.”
Last year, there were 1,600 non-MD positions filled at White Plains Hospital and across the hospital’s affiliated outpatient practices. They anticipate more than 1,000
more positions to be filled this year. “Whether they are new graduates, changing careers, or re-entering the workforce, we are seeing candidates from all walks of life discover career opportunities here,” adds Woolley.
Likewise, Westchester Medical Center currently has many open positions, despite filling 2,000 positions last year.
“The market for medical technicians is quite competitive right now, due to a shrinking pool of qualified candidates. Clinical laboratory technicians, MRI technicians, and licensed practical nurses are all in high demand here and everywhere,” says Daphne Michel, senior director of network recruitment at Westchester Medical Center.
New Programs Help Candidates Gain Skills
To address the labor shortage and help job seekers gain much-needed healthcare skills, several new local programs have been created in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic to help individuals obtain healthcare credentials that are affordable and accessible.
One such program is the Healthcare Talent Pipeline Program (HTPP) launched by WCA last year. Through a countywide grant, the program initially sought to train and recruit 100 unemployed or underemployed workers for positions such as clinical medical assistants (CMAs), medical administrative assistants, and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) at SUNY Westchester Community College (WCC) and Southern Westchester BOCES, with classes offered in Valhalla, Ossining, and New Rochelle.
34 2023 SKILLS What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
© Sherry Bruck, Harquin