This article was originally posted by the American Hospital Association
Health care professionals are needed in many communities across the U.S., particularly in rural areas.
To address workforce shortages in rural Vermont, Copley Hospital in Morrisville is among several hospitals participating in the Career Pathway Entry Program (CPEP) offered by the Community College of Vermont. This program combines college classes with paid job shadows at local companies and organizations, providing students with an apprenticeship or other “earn-and-learn” opportunities. Other participating hospitals include Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, Northwestern Medical Center, and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.
During the summer months, the participating hospitals schedule online courses in the evening as well as in-person lab training and job shadows. The hospitals, like other participating organizations, are looking to hire CPEP graduates, and students are encouraged to apply for open positions at their job shadow site.
For summer 2025, Copley Hospital offers shadow days for students to explore several careers, including patient engagement specialist, medical assistant, phlebotomist, medical lab scientist, radiology technologist, facility technician and environmental services team member.
Community College of Vermont students who have participated in the program give it high marks, calling it “awesome.” Amara, who’s now working to finish a degree in radiologic science at Vermont State University, observed: “I got to know the various departments at Copley and found I was most interested in radiology. I asked to spend more time shadowing there, and by the end of the program, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
J.T. Vize, Copley Human Resources generalist, says the program helps meet the hospital’s “growing need for people” in several career areas. “Our goal [is] to meet people who were looking for a new — or second — career in the health care field and introduce them to the myriad opportunities available here,” Vize explained.
The CPEP is funded by a federal partnership between the Northern Border Regional Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor; the grant is part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities initiative.
