CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atrium Health and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced they are partnering up to launch a new program aiming to support students who are seeking a future in the health care industry.
The plan is to create an early college program that will help prepare students for well-paying careers in health care, the announcement said.
"Students will experience robust academic programming, specialized health care classes and work-based learning – coupled with the opportunity to earn industry-valued credentials and certifications, along with traditional high school learning," Atrium said.
The project will also seek solutions in order to address local education and health care talent needs. Atrium and CMS said the project will entail an effort to co-develop the high school curriculum in Charlotte.
The result is a win-win for CMS students, health providers and those needing medical care in the Charlotte area.
Charlotte and the Mecklenburg County region are expected to have over 60,000 open clinical health care positions through 2027 and many of these jobs pay family-sustaining wages.
"The new early college model will fully integrate health care career knowledge and job-training with a high-quality, well-rounded high school experience for students in Charlotte, graduating them directly into high-demand health care jobs that offer economic prosperity," Atrium said in a statement about the new partnership.
Upon graduating, many students are expected to head straight into their future careers as certified nursing assistants, registered nurses, radiologic technologists, neurodiagnostic technologists and health care simulation.
They said Charlotte is one of 10 cities in the country selected to participate in a pilot cohort aimed to "provide clear pathways for students’ careers and grow the next generation workforce."
In one of the largest grants received by Atrium Foundation to-date, the project received a $26.3 million initial investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“Education and health care are the backbone of our community and I applaud the foresight and creative thinking shown by the leaders involved in this initiative,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, in a statement.
Hawthorne Academy is one local school set to benefit from the partnership. Plans are for Hawthorne Academy, which is CMS’ dedicated health sciences magnet program, to have an official cohort in the 2025-2026 school year. It will be selected through a lottery process, according to CMS.
“As the population of Charlotte and the surrounding areas continues to boom, we need a workforce that reflects the diversity of our population and has the training to meet the needs of the community, now and into the future,” Mayor Lyles added.
Students who are currently in the program will start receiving benefits of the program as early as this year through paid internships and hands-on experiences.
“There has never been a more pressing time for Atrium Health to ensure access to high-quality health care, and central to that is a well-trained health care workforce,” said Ken Haynes, president of the Southeast Region of Advocate Health.
Because of the passage of the 2023 CMS bond referendum, Hawthorne Academy is expected to move to a new Second Ward High School in uptown Charlotte. That's within walking distance of Atrium Health’s new education center, which will house Carolinas College of Health Sciences and the Charlotte-campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, located in “The Pearl” innovation district currently under construction.
In ninth and 10th grades, students will participate in job-shadowing and practice their skills in simulation labs. Starting in 11th grade, students will have access to paid health care internships and professional mentoring, among other work-based learning experiences.
“This investment allows Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to take what has already been started at Hawthorne Academy of Health Sciences and expand it with the partnership with Atrium Health to take it to a new level that leads directly to employment in the healthcare industry for our students. This is the first program of its kind for CMS,” said CMS superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill in a statement.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the many issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.