Mercy Health Expands Free Education Program for Employees

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Mercy Health is collaborating with Guild Education, an education and upskilling platform, to offer an innovative program that provides strategic career pathways and 115 academic program offerings, all free of charge to eligible employees of the health-care system.

Mercy Health will pay 100% of all part-time and full-time associates’ tuition and fees for select clinical pathways including nursing, medical assistant, and laboratory programs. Associates are eligible on day one of employment. This new education program will cover tuition assistance and tuition reimbursement for 115 academic programs, undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and nursing degrees.
 
“We are committed to providing career growth to our associates as they serve our patients,” said John Luellen, MD, president Mercy Health–Youngstown. “Our collaboration with Guild will open many doors for our associates, enabling them to realize their career aspirations and enhancing their ability to care for our communities.”
 
Recent reports show that registered nursing is the fifth-most in-demand job in the American workforce, Mercy noted in its announcement of the collaboration. In order to address the current labor shortage, 1.2 million new registered nurses will be needed in the United States by 2030. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment in health care jobs is projected to grow 16% from 2020 to 2030 – much faster than the average for all occupations – adding an estimated 2.6 million new jobs.
 
Mercy Health has collaborated with Guild Education to help meet this demand. The range of educational programs to support associates with their career growth include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, clinical certifications for pharmacy technician and medical assistant, master’s degree in data analytics, and more. These programs are provided by 16 universities and learning partners. From day one of participating in the program, Guild Education provides personalized coaches to support associates’ educational journeys – from enrollment to graduation.
 
“Our health care sector has carried our country on its shoulders throughout the last 18 months, but our hospitals and providers are now facing significant challenges in the war for talent,” said Rachel Carlson, CEO and co-founder of Guild Education, in a prepared statement. “We’re honored to partner with Bon Secours Mercy Health to fill in-demand jobs today and build towards careers of tomorrow.”
 
Mercy Health designed this program with its associates at the core, whether they want to learn new skills in their current role or grow into new roles within the ministry. To learn more about the program, go to bsmh.GuildEducation.com.

Mercy Health – Youngstown is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, one of the top 20 health systems in the United States, one of the largest employers in Ohio and part of the top performing quartile of Catholic health systems for lowest cost per case for patient care.
 
Guild Education is a technology platform allows the nation’s largest employers – among them Chipotle, Target, Walmart, Bon Secours Mercy Health and The Walt Disney Company – to offer strategic education and upskilling to their employees.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.