Building Poughkeepsie’s Next Generation of Healthcare Professionals
Local organizations join forces to create new pathways from the classroom to healthcare careers.
Healthcare employers across the Hudson Valley face a growing need for skilled workers, while many local students are seeking careers that offer purpose, stability, and opportunity. Over the past two years, the Poughkeepsie Alliance’s Pathways to Careers in Healthcare work group has worked to bring those two needs together by connecting students with educational opportunities, career exploration programs, mentors and healthcare employers.
The effort brought together leaders from healthcare, education, workforce development, government, and nonprofit organizations with a shared goal: helping more Poughkeepsie students discover and pursue meaningful careers in healthcare.
One of the group’s first accomplishments was developing a comprehensive resource catalog identifying healthcare careers available in the region, the credentials required for those positions, and the local colleges, universities, and training programs that can help students prepare for them.
Just as importantly, the initiative helped strengthen relationships among organizations that often share a common mission but do not always have opportunities to work together. Participants included healthcare providers, the Poughkeepsie City School District, Marist University, Dutchess Community College, Dutchess BOCES, Nubian Directions, the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet, the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and other community partners.
“One of the most rewarding outcomes of this effort has been building connections among organizations that all care deeply about the future of our young people,” said Brian Doyle, chair of the work group. “By bringing educators, healthcare leaders, nonprofits and community partners to the same table, we’ve created a stronger network of support for students exploring careers in healthcare.”
The work group also served as a hub for sharing and elevating programs already creating opportunities for local students. Members learned about the SWAG program, a partnership between the Poughkeepsie City School District and the Catskill Hudson Area Health Education Center, which is now serving 18 students in grades 10 through 12. Participating students receive exposure to healthcare careers, a stipend for participation, and access to scholarship opportunities.
