Oakland Unified School District Expands Healthcare Career Programs Amidst Booming Job Market
The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is significantly expanding its healthcare career development opportunities for students, supported by a $500,000 grant from Sutter Health. This initiative aims to build a pipeline for students into the rapidly growing healthcare sector, which has seen job growth significantly outpace other industries both nationally and in California. Between March 2022 and March 2026, U.S. healthcare jobs grew by nearly 17%, compared to 4.7% overall job growth, while California's healthcare and social assistance jobs increased by 25%. The funding will strengthen OUSD's healthcare pathways, offering high school students courses, field trips, and internships. It will also bolster the 'Highway to Work' program, which trains recent graduates for certification exams in fields such as ER technician, certified nursing assistant, and emergency medical technicians. The program recently celebrated the graduation of its fifth cohort, comprising 33 students from various OUSD high schools.