Summit Convenes over sixty healthcare leaders to co-design education pathways to expand Vermont’s workforce capacity
VermontBiz In the last few weeks, more than sixty of Vermont’s healthcare leaders gathered centrally at Rutland Regional Medical Center for the Healthcare Leaders Workforce Summit, a pivotal working session to design employer-led education pathways that make it possible for more Vermonters to enter healthcare careers without leaving the state.
Across Vermont, hospitals, long-term care facilities, community health and home health providers face critical staffing shortages in essential healthcare occupations: Registered Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Laboratory Technology, and Surgical Technology. Most of these roles require a two-year associate degree at the community college level and are vital to patient care. When vacancies go unfilled, employers rely on contracted “traveler” staff, often costing up to 2.5 times more than a full-time employee with benefits.
Behind those numbers are the untapped opportunities for Vermonters already living and working in their communities, who could become exceptional healthcare professionals if they had access to affordable and flexible higher education. Healthcare employers recognize that the future workforce depends on creating education on-ramps for adults and youth who are ready to reskill or upskill into meaningful, well-paying careers.
Employers are stepping forward to fill this gap by developing education sponsorship that is accessible, affordable, and flexible. Flexible programs allow participants to work, learn, and earn while completing their education and clinical training close to home. Flexibility also means multiple start dates throughout the year, evening and weekend options, and the choice to attend coursework live or on-demand.
Photo: Radiology leaders designing new education pathways Vermonters. Photo Cred: Shannon Mitchell.
At the Summit, employers from across Vermont agreed on a shared framework for these new programs. They will target high-demand healthcare roles identified by Vermont employers and combine education sponsorship, loan repayment, and financial aid to reduce financial risk for both employers and participants. The program design will build on an apprenticeship-style model that allows participants to earn wages while they earn their education. Programs should offer multiple entry points for career changers, working adults and youth that align with year-round healthcare operations.
Employers intend to support participants through employment agreements that ensure job stability after education and licensure, paid release time or flexible scheduling for coursework, and access to wraparound supports such as mentorship and financial counseling. The summit was facilitated by strategists from GameTheory (gametheoryco.com), using a human impact design framework to enable the rapid prototyping of ideas, testing and refinement for flexible education solutions tailored to Vermont’s healthcare workforce needs.
“Vermont has people in every community who would thrive in healthcare if given the chance,” said Jerry Baake, System Director of Workforce Development at UVM Health. “Our goal is to make sure those Vermonters don’t have to leave Vermont or their jobs to gain the skills for careers that are in high demand and deeply needed.”
Looking ahead, employers outlined a vision for a Vermont Healthcare Workforce Center—a statewide hub that will coordinate shared resources for simulation labs, clinical practice space, faculty sharing, with a common clinical education platform, while also serving as a communication center connecting Vermonters with healthcare career opportunities.
Each occupational group will now refine its program design and identify education partners who can bring these ideas to life. The Vermont Healthcare Collaborative/Community of Practice will guide this work to ensure Vermont’s healthcare training system remains employer-led, locally grounded, and can serve as a nationally recognized blueprint for rural healthcare workforce development.
“We know there’s incredible potential in people who might not see themselves in clinical healthcare yet,” added Helen Papeika, Senior Director of Education and Clinical Excellence at Rutland Regional Medical Center. “These new pathways are about meeting Vermonters where they are and helping them step into meaningful work that benefits their families and our entire healthcare system.”
The summit was funded by the Vermont Department of Labor, the Vermont Agency of Human Services, UVM Health and the VBR Research and Education Foundation.
Photo: Vermont Nurse Leaders, Amy Visser-Lynch, Mt Ascutney Hospital; Sarah Billings-Berg, VA Medical Center of White River Junction; Jillian Baker and Betsy Hassan, UVM Medical Center; Jerry Baake, UVM Health, Amy Martone, Vermont ANA; Kristin Baker, UVM Medical Center; Kelly Campbell, Northwestern Medical Center; with Mary Anne Sheahan, VBR Research and Education Foundation. Photo Cred: Shannon Mitchell.
The VBR Research and Education Foundation leads employer driven workforce solutions including the Vermont Talent Pipeline initiative, which unites employers to identify design and implement education and training pathways for high-demand occupations.
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