Healthcare Career Pathways (Diversity in Health Training Institute)
DHTI’s Healthcare Career Pathways (HCP) program focuses on qualifying refugees, immigrants, and BIPOC community members for healthcare professions and developing the healthcare sector to expand and diversify its workforce to reflect a changing patient population. HCP aims to build pipelines for students to obtain healthcare career education and training through adult schools, vocational programs, and higher education; collaborate with healthcare employers to align training with employer hiring needs and qualifications, as well as provide incumbent worker training and support; and develop workforce partnerships to address systemic barriers and challenges. DHTI is the only workforce intermediary organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that specifically supports the healthcare workforce needs of refugees and immigrants by teaching and reinforcing professional skills in addition to providing the linguistic, social, and emotional support to successfully complete health professional education.
DHTI’s Healthcare Career Coaches (HCCs) provide intensive outreach, coaching, and wraparound support for participants enrolled in DHTI’s Healthcare Career Pathways Initiative which targets immigrant and refugee community members. Working in partnership with community-based organizations, adult schools, local health centers, employers, and hospitals, HCCs help participants navigate the full journey from initial interest in healthcare to training, work-based learning, and employment.
Some of the program's offerings include:
Wellness Assessment and Support Planning
- Provide brief wellness assessments at program entry to identify potential barriers to training and employment success (e.g., health, family, transportation, or other concerns).
- Connect participants with appropriate service providers and supportive resources as needed.
Individualized Coaching and Career Navigation
- Develop individualized program and career plans aligned with each participant’s goals, skills, and life circumstances.
- Offer ongoing coaching and guidance to help participants navigate local healthcare training programs, bridge programs, and employment options.
- Support participants in completing program requirements and successfully progressing along their chosen career pathway.
- Support onboarding requirements with healthcare sites, including applications, health screenings, and other pre-employment steps.
- Assist with resume development, interview preparation, and job readiness skills.
- Provide job application support and follow-up as participants pursue employment.
- Introduce eligible participants with guest speakers who share similar professional backgrounds to provide role modeling and career insights.
- We also have supported participants with other requests as needed, such as getting HCA registration number, TB test, and live scan; identifying and applying for scholarships and financial aid for prerequisites and healthcare training programs.
Workshops and Group Learning
Healthcare Career Coaches also facilitate/co-facilitate workshops that strengthen participants’ knowledge, confidence, and rights as workers and community members, such as:
- Know Your Rights for Workers (in partnership with Filipino Advocates for Justice)
- Know Your Rights for Immigrants (in partnership with SIREN)
- Anti-Scam & Fraud Prevention
- Student Wellness Workshop: Managing Stress
- Student Wellness Workshop: Self-Care
- Resume Workshop
- How to Get an HCA Registration Number
- How to Use Online Job Search Platform: Indeed, Care.com
- Caregiver Job Mixer
- Healthcare Career Pathway Info Sessions:
- Introductory to Nursing Career Path: from Caregiver, to CNA, to LVN
- Introductory to Behavioral Health Career Path: Behavioral Health Worker/ Specialist, Social Worker, Mental Health Therapist, Psychologist
Employer Engagement and Work-Based Learning
- Collaborate with healthcare employees to develop, coordinate, and sustain work-based learning opportunities (e.g., internships, job shadowing, entry-level positions).
- Organize job mixers and networking events that connect participants with employers, recruiters, and mentors.
- Establish and maintain service linkages and support systems, so participants have access to ongoing resources even after initial placement.
Languages
We currently have HCCs that speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Dari, and Pashto.
