The Training Fund hosted its inaugural in-person graduation ceremony on June 18 to celebrate the more than 500 members and participants who completed a range of degree programs, healthcare trainings, and apprenticeship programs in the past year. Families, teachers, supporters, and union and employer leaders cheered on graduates as they marched at Kane Hall on the University of Washington Seattle campus.
Featured graduation speaker and Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) apprentice Melissa Burns spoke about finding her career pathway with the Training Fund during her own recovery journey.
“It was the first time I started to imagine a real path forward—not just surviving but building something new,” said Burns who graduated from the Introduction to Healthcare Employment and Apprenticeship Programs (IHAP) and Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) Training program. “It’s giving me the chance to give back—to create the same kind of safe, understanding, and compassionate space for teens and families that helped me in my own journey.”
Graduate speaker Cecilia Mora-Pitts, IHAP and Medical Assistant Apprenticeship graduate, said she was ready to give up on the medical field before she connected with IHAP. Now she is a medical assistant with Kaiser Permanente, and she’s pursuing further education to become an RN with the support of the Training Fund.
“Completing not just one – but both of the programs – has been a life-changing journey,” Mora-Pitts said. “There were late nights, early mornings, and moments of self-doubt. But the instructors, mentors, and peers created an environment where I felt seen, supported, and pushed to be my best.”
Graduates completed other Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium programs including Medical Assistant Apprenticeship, Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship, Behavioral Health Technician Apprenticeship, and SUDP Apprenticeship. In addition, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW members who used their Training Fund Tuition Assistance benefit were also honored for completing a variety of degree programs.
The graduation event also highlighted the importance of labor management partnerships and workforce development programs. Jane Hopkins, President of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, spoke to the breadth of possibility when barriers are removed.
“We wanted to make sure that it didn’t matter which hospital you worked in, that you could be anything you wanted to be. You could have a lot of money, you could have a little, but you have an opportunity to be what you want to be,” Hopkins said. “You just need to be given the opportunity to do that. I am so proud of what we’re doing here today.”
Leslie Hampton, Assistant Administrator, Professional Practice & Patient/Family Centered Care at UW Medical Center, shared her perspective as an employer who has watched her team grow with the Training Fund, and seen the positive impact on patients and coworkers.
“I have seen how people can blossom. You have all experienced it. You see someone who doesn’t think they want to go back to school, and you say ‘Hey, have you thought about this?’ and ‘Use the Training Fund to help you.’ You see that person come to life and realize ‘Oh I can do this.’ and then they turn into someone that encourages someone else,” Hampton said. “What could be more inspirational?”
Learn more about career pathways to enter critical roles in healthcare by visiting https://healthcareapprenticeship.org/
Visit https://healthcareerfund.org/ to learn more about advancing your career with the Training Fund.