Healthcare Workforce Partnership Allied Health Workforce Development: Healthcare Technicians
The Allied Health Work Group is dedicated to addressing workforce challenges in Western Massachusetts by creating sustainable talent pipelines for critical allied health professions. The group’s efforts are focused on building a skilled workforce to meet regional healthcare demands and ensure long-term stability in these essential roles.
Occupations of Focus
The Allied Health Work Group prioritizes workforce development for key allied health occupations, including:
- respiratory therapists
- radiologic technologists
- surgical technologists
- clinical laboratory technicians.
These fields are vital to the healthcare system, and addressing gaps in these professions is essential to improving regional health outcomes.
Project Partners
The Allied Health Work Group collaborates with a diverse range of stakeholders to advance workforce development goals. Key partners include high schools, post-secondary institutions, healthcare employers, and workforce development entities. Together, these collaborators play a crucial role in aligning educational programs, expanding training opportunities, and building robust career pathways for students and workers in Western Massachusetts.
- American International College
- Baystate Health
- Chicopee Comprehensive High School
- Chicopee Public Schools
- Cooley Dickinson Hospital
- Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board
- Greenfield Community College
- Holyoke Community College
- Holyoke Medical Center
- Lower Pioneer Valley Career Tech
- Mass2Miami Consulting Group
- MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board
- Putnam Academy
- Springfield Renaissance School
- Springfield Technical Community College
Project Goals
The Allied Health Work Group aims to address workforce challenges by implementing key strategies to develop a sustainable talent pipeline.
- Conducting an occupational gap analysis is a priority to evaluate the demand, supply, and future workforce needs for critical allied health occupations.
- Strengthening educational pathways is essential, with a focus on expanding training opportunities such as dual enrollment, internships, and apprenticeships to enhance access to allied health careers.
- Collaboration among educational institutions, employers, and community organizations is vital to addressing workforce challenges and increasing training capacity.
- Additionally, raising career awareness through targeted strategies will help students and the broader community recognize opportunities in allied health, particularly in underrepresented fields.
Intended Outcomes
The Allied Health Work Group focuses on aligning training programs with regional employer needs in respiratory therapy, radiologic technology, surgical technology, and clinical laboratory technology.
- Efforts aim to increase enrollment in allied health education and training programs through targeted outreach and improved accessibility.
- Enhanced collaboration among educators, employers, and workforce development organizations is prioritized to share resources and address common challenges.
- Sustainable talent pipelines are being developed through scalable models for apprenticeships, co-op programs, and entry-level pathways that offer students structured opportunities for career advancement.
- Workforce data is utilized to identify gaps, inform planning, and develop actionable strategies to meet regional workforce needs effectively.
Meetings’ Agenda
- November 2024 (Meeting slides)
- January 2025 (Meeting slides)
REB - REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT BOARD OF HAMPDEN COUNTRY, INC.