Foundation Health Partners (FHP) requires the right number of health care workers to meet service demand, with the right skills in the right place. When resources are limited and positions need to be filled, what do you do?

“There is a shortage of health care workers on a national and state level,” said Talent Development Coordinator Karen Lapp. “We are using apprenticeships and other paid training opportunities to build our own capacity to meet Fairbanks’ health care workforce needs.”

With a 94% employment retention rate nationally, apprenticeships are a great strategy to grow and keep talent. Over the past year, FHP Human Resources revived two apprenticeship programs - surgery technologist and sterile processing technician, and launched a new pharmacy technician program. In 2020, the first cohort of phlebotomists start their apprenticeships.

FHP is excited about the growth of apprenticeships and the impact they have on FHP’s workforce, but how do the apprentices feel? 

As a former Boston police officer, Michelle Belisle applied to the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital OR with no medical experience. With this ‘leap of faith’, she started the surgical technologist apprenticeship. She admits that there has been a learning curve with such an extreme career switch, but the support from staff and management has been outstanding.

“It’s taken me quite some time, but I’ve found my place in the world and my craft,” Belisle said.

Belisle plans to continue her education to apply to physician assistant school. She encourages others to take chances because you will be pleasantly surprised with what you can do.

Pharmacy Technician Apprentice Jennifer Nash also jumped feet first into a new career. As a military spouse, she worked in numerous school districts in special education as her family moved from station to station. Soon after arriving in Fairbanks, she came across FHP’s apprenticeship opportunities. With her family finally settling down, she thought, “Now is the time!”

The Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship is the only one in the state and Nash is grateful to be one of the first chosen for this opportunity.  

“Training in such a fast-paced environment is super challenging so I am grateful for the time each coworker gives me each day,” Nash said.

When SPD Educator Greg Aldrich joined FMH, he was no stranger to sterile process distribution (SPD). Aldrich came in with six years’ experience but never had the opportunity to gain his certification, and that made FMH’s SPD apprenticeship a perfect fit.

“When I first started in SPD (in the Lower 48) they just tossed you in the deep end,” Aldrich said. “FMH has a great program. They give you the tools and resources you need to learn the craft.”

Aldrich took the fast track in his apprenticeship program, rolling over 1,000 hours of experience into the 2,000-hour program. With his certification in hand, Aldrich will be splitting his time as an SPD tech and an SPD educator, which means he will be involved with mentoring incoming SPD apprentices. 

FHP Apprenticeship Info
To learn more about apprenticeships and other paid training opportunities, such as FHP’s CNA Fellowship (currently accepting applicants) visit https://www.foundationhealth.org/careers/training_opportunities, or contact Karen Lapp at 458-5163.