At the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council (PIC), we believe in providing career exposure, exploration, and experience opportunities to our youth in order for them to gain a better understanding of the opportunities around them on their journey to their future career. This is done through various events in partnership with local businesses and other organizations with the same mission. One such event is the Tour of HealthCare Careers Day.
On February 10th, 2023, the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, in partnership with the Minnesota River Valley Career and Technical Education Collaborative and Minnesota West Technical and Community College, offered a Tour of Health Care Careers Day event at two local hospitals and the Minnesota West Granite Falls campus. 56 students attended from five different schools and spent the day touring the facilities and participating in hands-on exercises related to the Healthcare Pathway. When students were asked after the event how likely they would be to work at the hospital they visited in the future, about 75% of students thought they would be “likely” or “very likely” to work at the hospital they visited after attending the event!
“I got to do some blood work and urinalysis in the lab, and I think that really gave me a good perception as to what that job would be like. It definitely added another option to my list of future careers.” – Anonymous
When asked What was the best thing about this event? on a post-event survey, one student said,
“Being able to do hands-on activities. Everyone was very welcoming.”
Why offer these opportunities?
According to the latest DEED article, Health Care & Social Assistance positions are becoming more in demand in our region than ever. In fact, one in every 6 jobs in Southwest Minnesota is health care & social assistance related. Creating opportunities for students to learn about these roles and start working toward them in high school has become crucial to fill these positions and to continue providing the high-quality care needed in our region.
To learn more about the demand for Health Care related positions in Southwest Minnesota and the employment trends, check out the latest DEED blog post.
How we help
At the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, we partner to create opportunities for students and adults to learn about and become trained in high-wage and high-in-demand occupations. In the healthcare field, we provide Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training and three different courses in Medical Terminology. During this course, students go through an accelerated course and after completion of a final assessment, leave with an industry-recognized certificate or certification in the field.
Interested in participating in a future course? Fill out our interest form.
