Briefly tell us about H-CAP. What does your organization do? 

The Healthcare Career Advancement Program (H-CAP) is a national leader in workforce development, dedicated to strengthening healthcare careers through high-quality training and career advancement opportunities. By partnering with employers, unions, and workers, H-CAP helps build sustainable career pathways that support economic mobility while addressing the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. 

H-CAP’s national Labor-Management partnership collaboration, The National Center for Healthcare Apprenticeships (NCHA), sponsors and expands Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) nationwide. And we partner with the U.S. Department of Labor to provide technical assistance, subject matter expertise, shareable resources, and capacity-building support to help employers implement and sustain high-quality apprenticeship programs. In recognition of its leadership, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship designated H-CAP as an Apprenticeship Ambassador in May 2023, reinforcing its role in advancing and diversifying the healthcare workforce.  

Through its ongoing partnership with the Irvine Foundation and the Department of Labor, H-CAP continues to drive the expansion and improvement of Registered Apprenticeships in California, ensuring more workers have access to sustainable careers in a rapidly evolving industry. 

Why are Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) in healthcare important?  

Healthcare Registered Apprenticeship Programs address key challenges in the industry by providing individuals with a pathway to stable, rewarding careers through paid, hands-on training without the burden of student debt. These programs create clear career advancement opportunities, particularly for underrepresented groups, so workers can earn more and move up the economic ladder. RAPs help participants gain the skills needed to succeed in healthcare while opening doors to long-term job stability. 

By developing a skilled, reliable talent pipeline, RAPs help employers address workforce shortages and ensure that workers acquire competencies that meet industry demands. These programs also increase employee retention, reduce turnover, and lower recruitment costs, making them a cost-effective solution for building a dedicated, engaged workforce. 

The expansion of RAPs leads to a more diverse, culturally competent healthcare workforce that better understands and addresses the needs of different patient populations. This contributes to improved patient care, reduced health disparities, and more patient trust and involvement, as providers who reflect the community can offer more effective and personalized care. 

At the same time, RAPs create a steady stream of skilled professionals, introducing fresh perspectives that improve care quality and patient safety. This diverse workforce helps the healthcare system adapt to evolving challenges and stay resilient and responsive to the needs of the population. 

Healthcare RAPs empower workers, support employers, strengthen communities, and advance the field by improving care quality, fostering innovation, and ensuring a stable, well-trained workforce to meet the growing demands of healthcare. 

What does progress in healthcare apprenticeship look like to you? What are you hoping to achieve? 

True progress in healthcare apprenticeships means ensuring these programs are equitable and accessible to individuals from all backgrounds. Removing financial, systemic, and logistical barriers is crucial, and providing holistic support such as mentorship, childcare, and transportation will create more opportunities for underrepresented populations. Expanding programs to rural areas and ensuring all communities have access to healthcare career training will help address disparities and promote a more inclusive workforce. Progress also involves adjusting apprenticeship programs to better meet the needs of diverse participants. This includes offering more flexible training schedules and addressing various learning styles, ensuring that individuals from all walks of life can succeed in healthcare careers. Stronger integration between educational institutions and healthcare providers is essential for these adjustments to be made. 

Recognizing apprenticeships as a legitimate path to certification and licensure would help open career opportunities for individuals who may not have had access to traditional educational routes. Regulatory boards can help by reviewing their requirements to ensure they are not unintentionally excluding underrepresented groups from certification or licensure. 

In terms of career development, progress means creating structured pathways that lead to high-wage, high-demand jobs. Apprenticeships should offer not only hands-on training but also clear opportunities for workers to progress from entry-level positions to higher-paying roles with more responsibilities. . 

H-CAP is dedicated to fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders to demonstrate the success of healthcare RAPs, build momentum for their national expansion, and establish RAPs as a critical component of the national workforce development strategy. We are advocating for strong, sustained investment at the federal, state, and private philanthropy levels to ensure that RAPs are seen as a key solution to healthcare workforce shortages, a means of increasing diversity, and a tool for creating career advancement opportunities for all.  

What do you want funders (public and private) to know about healthcare registered apprenticeships? How should they support this work? 

By supporting healthcare RAPs, funders can make it easier for people to enter the healthcare workforce and establish sustainable career pathways. The national growth of healthcare RAPs has been significant, with 37,325 registered apprentices in the industry in 2024, up from just 8,500 in 2019. California also saw a 402% increase in healthcare apprentices, from 111 in 2018 to 557 in 2023. However, this number still falls significantly behind other industries. While momentum is strong, continued funding is essential to scaling these programs and ensuring long-term impact. 

Funders can maximize impact by prioritizing research, advocacy, and policy development to strengthen and expand RAPs. Investments should facilitate collaboration between healthcare providers, educational institutions, and regulatory bodies to align apprenticeship programs with industry needs and credentialing requirements. Supporting data collection and best practices can further demonstrate the effectiveness of RAPs, positioning them as a key component of national workforce strategies.  

With strategic funding, healthcare RAPs can be scaled to meet workforce demands, improve patient care, and create lasting, equitable career opportunities for a diverse healthcare workforce.

Masthead photo credit: Sam Comen