Health Care Access & Quality: Talent

Workforce Growth and Development
Initiative Goal: $15 million
High-quality, accessible, affordable health care is a vital component of a thriving community. However, today’s health care workforce—both in the United States and across the globe—is facing an array of challenges while health care systems are under increasing financial pressure. Shifting demographics, workforce disruptors like artificial intelligence, changes in care delivery, clinician burnout, high labor costs, and staffing shortages pose serious challenges to the ability of health care systems, like Banner Health, to provide the care our communities need.

A talented, engaged, and inclusive workforce is critical to delivering exceptional patient care, and Banner Health has made it a priority to support employees—professionally, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Banner is committed to engaging and growing our most valuable resource – our workforce – by offering opportunities for ongoing education, training, reskilling, professional development, mentorships, and career growth. This includes programs and services to support employees’ physical and mental well-being. Philanthropic investment from donors and community partners is critical to the success of these initiatives, as these activities fall outside the traditional model of care delivery and reimbursement.

Career Pathways & Apprenticeships
Initiative Goal: $10 million
The Career Pathways and Apprenticeship programs are helping to upskill and reskill lower-wage employees to serve in high-need roles, supporting them in attaining the required education, training, and certifications to build sustainable, long-term careers. Entry-level workers in areas like environmental services (housekeeping/janitorial), culinary (cafeteria/food service), and call-center roles often lack access to the financial and logistical resources to pursue additional education at their own expense. Career Pathways & Apprenticeships offers both the social and financial capital needed for low-wage health care workers to advance their careers and boost their self-sufficiency, which leads to more equitable opportunities and greater earning potential for these team members over time.

Initially funded by an American Rescue Plan Act grant, the Career Pathways Program successfully launched its first phase in 2022 in four Banner medical facilities, helping select workers to envision, map out, and create sustainable careers in a variety of high-need roles like Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant, and Certified Sterile Processing Technician.

Philanthropic investment allows the team to continuously add new pathways to the program and expand geographically across Arizona and Colorado. Program participants reflect the communities in which Banner serves, with the largest groups being: 47% Hispanic or Latino, 31% White, 7% Black or African American, and 78% female. At the center of our Career Pathways and Apprenticeship programs is a dedicated effort to diversify and fortify the workforce. Banner Health is working to ensure that our career opportunities are visible and accessible to diverse team members who bring rich experiences, unique perspectives, varied backgrounds, and critical foreign-language skills to their roles. Recent growth includes a path to becoming a Registered Nurse—among the most important roles in care delivery, and one facing a critical shortage. About 100,000 registered nurses have left the workforce since 2021 due to stress, burnout, and retirement, and another 610,388 reported an intent to leave by 2027, according to a study by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Providing the financial and logistical support for professionals interested in pursuing careers in health care to attain the required education, training, certifications and clinical rotations will feed the pipeline of health care workers for the future.

Youth Internships & Immersive Experiences in Health Care
Investment Needed: $7 million
Building the pipeline of professionals considering health care careers means starting early. A variety hands-on immersive experiences, youth internships, and career technical education options give high school students a view into future career possibilities in health care. Philanthropic support makes these programs possible and available to all students with interest, regardless of their financial means. Examples of these efforts include introducing STEM careers and opportunities to BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color), offering internships to high school students, and holding summer camps for 7th and 8th graders in partnership with Title I schools and districts. Immersion programs can lead to career and technical education, certification programs, and tuition assistance funds that create new employment opportunities for individuals who may not have otherwise considered or understood potential career options in health care.

Educational Scholarships
Investment Needed: $30 million
Scholarships help Banner Health team members of all levels obtain additional education, technical certifications, and specific training to move into important roles in health care. Scholarships also help nurses, therapists, and other clinical professionals gain advanced degrees and certifications, and learn new skills that are applicable in new care environments where staffing needs are high.