HEET Grant Funded Education Programs
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Through WA state funded Hospital Employee Education and Training (HEET) grants, we work with local colleges to create programs for working adults like you that offer unique opportunities and support towards your next career.
Current HEET Programs
HEET 18
Medical Assistant Pathway Program at Bellevue College
Expanding Medical Assistant Training to address the Medical Assistant staffing gaps in Washington State.
Program
This project supports a worker-friendly Medical Assisting program at Bellevue College
- Hybrid course options
- English language support via the Integrated Basic English Skills (I-BEST) program
- FREE classes for eligible Kaiser Permanente employees
- Support every step: tutoring, advising, career coaching, tution assistance
Bellevue College
Learn More about Bellevue College’s Medical Assistant Program
Registration Deadline: September 1, 2025
Contact: Justin Taft, HEET Grant Navigator at Bellevue College,
Program Partners
This program is a partnership between Bellevue College, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, Kaiser Permanente, and the Training Fund.
Resources
Training Fund members can receive ongoing career support and academic pathway navigation. Training Fund members can apply for childcare funding, transportation funding, technology funding, tuition assistance, and more. Fill out HEET interest form on the top of the page to connect with Training Fund support services.
Contact us to learn more:
Creating an Accessible Pathway to Nursing for CNAs & MAs at Bellingham Technical College
This HEET 18 project will focus on strengthening its CNA Nursing pathway for incumbent hospital workers studying at BTC, expanding opportunities for working Medical Assistants to enter Bellingham Technical College (BTC) Nursing programs, and providing navigational and financial support for students traveling those pathways.
Program partners
This program is a partnership between Bellingham Technical College, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, PeaceHealth Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, and the Training Fund.
Program
This program will strengthen the CNA nursing pathways for incumbent hospital workers, expand opportunities for working Medical Assistants to enter BTC Nursing programs,and provide nagivational and financial support for students in these pathways.
This program will:
- Plan for and provide BTC’s CNA students with dedicated navigation services
- Update BTC’s CNA program with industry-standard training equipment (including modern patient lift, hospital bed, assistive device equipment and training models, and other training materials)
- Create a plan to offer priority entry into BTC’s part-time LPN and RN programs for HEET-eligible CNA or MA incumbent worker students.
Enroll at Bellingham Technical College: www.btc.edu/applyonline
Resources
Training Fund members can apply for tuition assistance, childcare funding, transportation funding, tutoring, and more!
Contact us to learn more: Pamela Carpio, Partner Liaison, 425-473-0419
BAS in Respiratory Therapy at Columbia Basin College
This project focuses on the development and implementation of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Respiratory Therapy (BAS-RT) at Columbia Basin College (CBC). Respiratory Therapy is also a great starting point for people beginning their healthcare careers.
This program will help address the Respiratory Therapist shortage and address immediate healthcare industry needs by:
- Mitigating persistent skill gaps and workforce shortages.
- Through the BAS-RT, CBC will provide a pipeline of qualified graduates equipped with essential competencies to meet the demands of healthcare providers and improve patient outcomes.
- Enhancing career progression opportunities for incumbent healthcare workers and new entrants by offering a clear pathway to advanced credentials in respiratory therapy, directly supporting the region’s demand for highly skilled professionals.
Planning for Winter start. Application details coming soon.
Program Partners
This program is a partnership between Columbia Basin College, Kadlec, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, and the Training Fund.
Resources
Training Fund members can receive ongoing career support and academic pathway navigation. Training Fund members can apply for childcare funding, transportation funding, technology funding, tuition assistance, and more.
Contact us to learn more:
Hybrid Surgical Technology Consortium at Clover Park Technical College & Columbia Basin College
Developing an accessible, high-quality Surgical Technology Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) with prioritization of incumbent healthcare workers and underserved populations.
Program
This project will establish a collaborative program model between Clover Park Technical College and Columbia Basin College. To best serve incumbent workers and people from underserved populations, the program aims to establish online didactic courses and in person lab “boot camps” at centralized simulation facilities and/or the students “sponsoring” hospitals.
This is a planning year for the program. The outcomes of the project planning year will be:
- Comprehensive program blueprint completed
- Partnership agreements established
- Proposal for CAAHEP accreditation written (and submitted? Dependent on timeline.)
Not yet accepting applications. Pilot Cohort Spring 2026.
Program Partners
This program is a partnership between Clover Park Technical College, Columbia Basin College, Kaiser Permanente, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and the Training Fund.
Resources
Training Fund members can receive ongoing career support and academic pathway navigation. Training Fund members can apply for childcare funding, transportation funding, technology funding, tuition assistance, and more.
Contact us to learn more:
AAS- Simulation Technologist Program at Highline College
Simulation technologists are increasingly vital across industries, particularly in healthcare, where they design and manage training and testing environments. This program aims to bridge the skills gap and align with regional workforce demands.
Program
A feasibility study will evaluate job market trends, survey employers, and assess existing training programs to gain competitive insights. Course sequences will be designed with a focus on programming, simulation software, hardware integration, and troubleshooting—emphasizing hands-on, experiential learning. Advisory committees will be established, along with strategic partnerships to support internships and mentoring opportunities. We will identify necessary technological and physical resources, including AR/VR systems and high-performance computing labs. Additionally, employment data will be collected to underscore workforce demand in key sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond.
The outcomes of the project will be:
- A curriculum aligned with industry needs and workforce demands.
- A detailed, research-driven plan for launching the AAS in Simulation Technology.
- Strong industry partnerships to support student success and job placement.
- A comprehensive report on market demand, facility requirements, and program impact.
This is a planning year. This program is not accepting students.
Program Partners
This program is a partnership between Highline College, MultiCare, Swedish, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and the Training Fund.
Contact us to learn more:
HEET Support for Training Fund members
Contact your Regional Education Navigator to learn more (each HEET program has an assigned Navigator – click the programs above to learn more).
Note: HEET funds are considered taxable income. You will need to submit a W9 to the Training Fund, and if you receive $600 or more from the Training Fund within in a given year, we will send you a tax form to use when submitting your annual taxes. Please work with a professional tax accountant if you have further questions.
“Despite the challenges associated with transitioning life to a new country, my passion for the healthcare field is never disappearing.
During the pandemic, I decided to start over from prerequisite courses for nursing. I receive the Tuition Assistance from the Training Fund for most of my tuition and the HEET Grant for my school supplies. As I move forward in my studies and work at the same time, I am eager to accept bigger responsibilities as a nurse to better serve my community.”
“The Training Fund helped me find a tutor for some of the nursing prerequisite courses that were challenging for me. The Training Fund provided me with a ton of resources to help me prepare for the NCLEX. They even helped me pay for gas to get to my clinicals that were sometimes very far away.”
Annelie graduated from the part-time nursing HEET program at Green River College. Her healthcare journey is just beginning. She was recently accepted into the LPN-RN Bridge program at Highline College.
Let us help you cover these HEET-related education expenses!
Childcare
Includes: time related to HEET coursework: studying, time in class, tutor hours, and/or HEET program clinicals.
Does not include: working hours at current employer.
Save copies of all childcare transactions so that you can provide documentation.
Transportation
Includes: trips for class, tutoring, labs, and/or clinicals.
Does not include: trips to/from current employer and workplace.
Save copies of all receipts.
Technology
Might include: purchase of a new laptop / tablet / Wi-Fi device (specifically for HEET project course use), printer, paper, classroom supplies (not otherwise covered by the Training Fund) and more!
Check with your Navigator before purchasing & save copies of all receipts.
How to Request HEET Support Services
- Connect with your Regional Education Navigator to verify eligibility.
- Submit a HEET funding request form.
- After your Request form and all documents have been received & reviewed, the Training Fund will send available funds within 30 days of request approval.
What is HEET?
HEET Grants are used for curriculum development and modification, to fund equipment to train incumbent workers, create systems to grant credit for prior classes, to fund support for students, to create program recruitment and retention, to hold symposiums, and more!
Each year, the Training Fund participates in multiple new and continuing HEET projects that enable our members to achieve their education and career goals.
HEET Grant Objectives
HEET Grants seek to:
- Enhance hospital workers’ access to college education.
- Lead to increased capacity of the college system in nursing and other high demand healthcare fields.
- Bring greater diversity to healthcare workforces.
- Build strong labor/management, healthcare industry, and college partnerships to leverage public and private investment.
HEET Grant Application Process
Community and technical colleges apply for HEET grants and develop proposals for funding. In order to access HEET funding, colleges must collaborate with at least one healthcare employer and one labor partner – and this is where the Training Fund comes in!
The Training Fund has been collaborating with local colleges and union employers for over 10 years to train, educate and support our union members. HEET promotes education pathways that are designed for busy healthcare workers.
Past HEET Education Program Archives
Seattle Central College – How to Become a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) and Interventional Radiology (IR) Nurse
This HEET 15 project in 2022-23 supported nursing pathway development at Seattle Central College for students interested in Cath Lab and IR nursing careers. The project aimed to address the shortage of Cath Lab and IR nurses in Washington. It was a partnership between Seattle Central College, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Swedish Health Services, and the Training Fund.
Green River College – Part-Time LPN & Worker-Friendly LPN-BSN Pathway
This HEET 15 project in 2022-23 supported the development of a worker-friendly LPN and LPN-to-BSN program at Green River College. The program featured small class sizes, hybrid learning, a supportive cohort model, and clinical sites and experiences in the community. This program was possible thanks to a partnership between Green River College, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 3000, Kaiser Permanente of Washington, MultiCare, and the Training Fund.
Spokane Community College – Surgical Technician training to Meet Regional Workforce Demand
This HEET 13 program began in 2019 to help members in Eastern Washington earn Surgical Tech certificates with weekend and hybrid courses. The part-time program included a dedicated Training Fund tutor and a licensed active Surg Tech who provided additional academic and practice support to the cohort. It also included HEET grant funded childcare reimbursement and a dedicated college-success navigator partnered with Training Fund navigators to problem-solve and improve persistence. There are two final members graduating from the program in the fall of 2020.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology – Inclusive and Accessible Nursing Pathway through COVID-19 and beyond
This HEET 13 program supported the implementation of a part-time, Saturday Registered Nursing (Associates Degree in Nursing) program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. The project included a strong support structure for participants including navigation, tutoring, childcare, increased online learning, virtual simulation training, and other student supports through college-based and Training Fund resources. This ADN program was possible thanks to a partnership between Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kaiser Permanente of Washington, Swedish Medical Center, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and the SEIU Healthcare 1199W Multi-Employer Training Fund.
Accelerated Pathways for Internationally-Educated Professionals
This HEET 13 program was a new proposal in its first year. The goal of this project is to address healthcare workforce shortages and skill gaps while increasing diversity by improving healthcare pathways for internationally educated workers. The Puget Sound Welcome Back Center at Highline College in partnership with the Training Fund and union employers is developing an expedited system for career progression to help those trained internationally to earn their certifications. This program is made possible thanks to a partnership between Highline College, the Welcome Back Center, Kaiser Permanente of Washington, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and SEIU 1199NW Multi Employer Training Fund.
Bellevue College- Enhancing Nursing Pathways at Bellevue Community College, NA-C Program
Addressing the demand for Registered Nurses! This HEET project seeked to develop a comprehensive pathway into the nursing field for the broader Seattle-Bellevue metro area. It implemented a multi-tier pathway that addresses gaps across the RN pipeline, including reserving spots in the ADN and RN-BSN degrees and creating additional pathways into the NAC and Nursing pre-requisite pathways. This program is made possible thanks to a partnership between Bellevue College, Kaiser Permanente; Swedish Health Services; UW Medicine Medical Center- Northwest Campus; UW Medicine Valley Medical Center; SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Training Fund; and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.
Enhancing Pathways for Underrepresented Populations at Shoreline Community College
Worker-friendly support in pursuing nursing! This HEET project provided high-impact student support and offered redesigned, equitable curricum to nursing students at Shoreline Community College. New seminars intentionally focused on skills and knowledge that are often gaps in students’ preparedness due to systemic inequalities. Resources supported through this project grant included: a full-time student success navigator; continuation of nursing faculty professional development with a DEI lens; evaluation and refinement of seminar courses; and efforts around data-driven barrier reduction in the admissions process. This program is made possible thanks to a partnership between Shoreline Community College, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UW Medical Center – Northwest Campus, Swedish Medical Center, and the Training Fund. It aims to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion in the nursing program.
See what our programs do!
Green River College
Renton Technical College
