Statewide Business Leadership Award Winner!
Creation Date: 01/08/2025
During the pandemic in 2020, Shawnee, like many employers, experienced substantial staffing challenges. Shawnee recognized that some individuals in our local communities wanted to work in healthcare but had experienced barriers to employment. Many individuals could not attend traditional educational institutions full-time while working to support their families, and some adults struggled with traditional classroom learning with practical application at a later date. Becoming a certified medical assistant took several months, and dental assistants faced years to complete the certification process.
To address these issues, Shawnee expanded their “grow your own” programs to include paid registered apprenticeships in partnership with Man-Tra-Con Corporation and the Department of Labor. The apprenticeship program trains individuals to become certified staff through an educational course, on-the-job training, and coaching from experienced clinicians. Apprentices are hired as employees and paid for all on-the-job training hours. In October 2021, Shawnee and Man-Tra-Con successfully registered for the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program. In November 2021, Shawnee and Man-Tra-Con successfully registered for the Dental Assistant Apprenticeship Program. In December 2022, Shawnee and Man-Tra-Con successfully registered for the Community Health Worker Apprenticeship Program.
In spring 2022, Shawnee began its first Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program in partnership with the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA). To date, Shawnee has completed four (4) apprenticeships, with two (2) currently in progress and one (1) upcoming for spring 2025. Shawnee has a success rate of 100% for apprentices completing the program, with the majority of them receiving high honors throughout the entirety of the NIMAA coursework. Thirteen (13) of the fifteen (15) apprentices still work with Shawnee as Certified Medical Assistants.
Shawnee began its first Dental Assistant Apprenticeship with participants enrolled at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale in spring 2022. Shawnee has completed one (1) apprenticeship and has started three (3) additional apprenticeships. Of the eight (8) enrolled, two (2) have completed the apprenticeship program as Certified Dental Assistants. While one (1) apprentice exited the program, the remaining five (5) continue their progress toward certification. Even while in training, the apprentices serve approximately 1,800 patients per year.
In fall 2022, Shawnee began its first Community Health Worker Apprenticeship in partnership with NIMAA. NIMAA developed the educational coursework using guidance provided by the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) regarding the specific competencies the state of Illinois will require for future community health worker licensing. The apprenticeship program trains individuals through educational coursework and on-the-job training to become community health workers, serving as a liaison between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality of service delivery. Apprentices are hired as employees and paid for all learning and on-the-job training hours. To date, Shawnee has completed one (1) apprenticeship with a success rate of 100% for apprentices completing the program. Of the six (6) apprentices, three (3) are still working with Shawnee as Community Health Workers. As the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) works on designing and implementing a licensing process for community health workers, Shawnee routinely provides feedback from both the perspective of an employer of community health workers and as community health workers working in the role.
Through apprenticeships, “grow your own” programs, and the assistance of local partners, Shawnee has successfully enhanced and stabilized its workforce while contributing to the economic viability of the local workforce and expanding access to care for its community.