Report covering 2011-12

WATCH Project news

Since the end of Program Year 1 (Sep-tember 2011), the Work Attributes Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) Project has expanded its reach and its services to help income-eligible individuals successfully complete the education and training needed to obtain employment in high-demand healthcare careers.

PROJECT EXPANSION

The WATCH Project service area ex-panded to include Tioga County in the Northern Tier Workforce Investment Area, and the adult education program and CareerLink in this county offered immedi-ate educational and work-related support to potential WATCH clients.

The project now also supports two addi-tional healthcare careers in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT-B) and Para-medics (EMT-P). WATCH has established working relationships with several EMS employers and training programs in the 10-county region.

WATCH Partner NewsWork Attributes Toward Careers in Health

A Message to Partners from Project Manager Katherine Vastine

What a year it has been! WATCH and other HPOG grantees have been working with partnering agencies to develop and maintain a career pathways approach that meets the needs of regional employ-ers. To date, the WATCH Proj-ect has enrolled more than 225 qualified individuals, and our participants are beginning to move along this career pathway and obtain credentials that pay family-sustaining wages. In fact, in Program Year 2, nearly 100 WATCH participants attained healthcare certifications. With your help, we are beginning to align support services, educa-tion, and workforce develop-ment efforts in the 10-county region.

WATCH Core MissionThe Work Attributes Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) Project assists low-income resi-dents of ten central Pennsylvania counties to become Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nurse Aides, Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics by providing a variety of academic and social support services while receiv-ing instruction in one of several partnering educational programs.

PROJECT STAFF

The WATCH Project hired additional career coordinators to better serve its expanded region. These career coordina-tors are key to the success of participants as they serve as coaches, mentors and advisors through training and for the first six months of employment. Career coordinators are also instrumental in the project’s efforts to build relationships with referring agencies for recruitment, as well as employer outreach and engagement.

Our career coordinators have met with employers. In April, WATCH held an open house event for employers in Lycoming county and 11 staff members from five long-term care facilities attended. This was an excellent opportunity to survey the hir-ing needs of local employers. Through our partnership with Northcentral PA AHEC (Area Health Education Center), staff worked with four long-term care facilities to develop the CNA Apprenticeship program.Work Attributes Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) is a project of the Central Susque-hanna Intermediate Unit and is supported by a grant from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Refer Clients Using Our Toll-Free Number

1-(855) 2-WATCH-61-(855) 292-8246

Scan this QR code with your smartphone to visit the

WATCH Project website.

WATCH Project Staff

JULI CORRIGANCSIU Director of Outreach and Community Education

KATHERINE VASTINEWATCH Project Manager

ANN MILLER WATCH Supervisor

JEAN SPAIHTSCareer Readiness Specialist

Career Coordinators:

JULIE CARINGI

TAMMI CHRISTIAN

REBECCA EVES

VALERIE FORSHA

GAYE JENKINS

SHARON MCINTYRE

BECKY RICE

KAHLEE SWANGER

LOIS TODD

KATHY SPRENKLEData Entry Specialist

MARY MINGLE Adult Education Specialist and Publications Editor

AMY PFLEEGORManagement Assistant

WATCH participants receive special recognition

Lindsey Schell of Elysburg was honored at the Thomas Jefferson University School of Nursing’s commencement activities and was named the recipient of the Critical Care Nursing Award and Medi-cine Nursing Award. She was also chosen as a student speaker for graduation ceremonies and was a co-creator of “Student Reflec-tions,” a slideshow that was displayed during commencement. Lind-sey achieved a 4.0 GPA while enrolled in the program.

Sandra Andrus of Lock Haven, a WATCH Project participant, re-ceived two awards through Susquehanna Health System’s employee recognition program. She received an Initiative Award for consis-tently volunteering to fill open staffing needs and for taking the ini-tiative to assist others. Sandra also received a Customer Satisfaction Award because she was specifically named in customer comments or satisfaction surveys and has gone above and beyond to provide great

customer service. One of her patients described her as “always looking to see what needs to be done,” “recognizing needs even before being asked,” “being very pleas-ant and kind,” and “being an excellent nurse.”

CNA Registered Apprenticeship program

The WATCH Project is collaborating with Steve Myers, Office of Appren-ticeship, U.S. Department of Labor; Rebecca Charles from Northcentral PA AHEC; as well as Brenda Abplanalp and Natalie DeLeonardis from Penn-sylvania College of Technology’s North Campus, to develop curricula for the Advanced CNA and Geriatric Specialty components of the registered CNA Apprenticeship program.

Sets of job-related competencies, in-structional assignments and assessments have been completed for both compo-nents. In addition, CSIU videographers are working with subject matter experts to create a series of instructional vid-eos. All curricula will be submitted for review and approval to the U.S. Depart-ment of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship.

Charles approached several long-term care employers in Clinton and Tioga counties about the program and secured their interest in participating as apprenticeship sponsors. These em-ployers reviewed and offered feedback on the curricula before finalizing.

The U.S. Department of Labor describes an apprenticeship as a “program that connects job seekers looking to learn new skills with em-ployers looking for qualified workers. Employers, employer associations, and joint labor-management organiza-tions, known collectively as ‘spon- sors,’ provide apprentices with paid on-the-job learning and academic instruction that reflects industry needs.”

Soft Skills

Wikipedia defines soft

skills as “personal at-

tributes that enhance an

individual’s interactions,

job performance and

career prospects. Unlike

hard skills, which are about

a person’s skill set and

ability to perform a certain

type of task or activity, soft

skills relate to a person’s

ability to interact effec-

tively with coworkers and

customers, and are broadly

applicable both in and out-

side the workplace.”

Here is a list of soft skills

that employers look for in

a potential employee:

Strong work ethic

Dependability

Punctuality

Positive attitude

Ability to accept

supervision

Responding positively to

constructive criticism

Willingness to work

Initiative/drive

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Listening, writing and

speaking effectively

Problem solving

Critical thinking skills

Organizational skills

Multicultural sensitivity

Flexibility

Adaptability

Prioritizing multiple tasks

Hiring an employee with ‘soft’ skills An Interview with Dan McGann of SUN Home Health & Hospice

Dan McGann, Director of Human Resources at SUN Home Health and Hospice, was asked to share some thoughts on challenges healthcare employers in the region may face when looking to hire a potential employee. “The main challenge in any recruit-

ment effort is ensuring you’re hiring the most qualified candidate,” he said. “But the real challenge lies with find-ing quality candidates who possess cor-rect technical skills and have the right work ethic.”

McGann pointed out that many employers see experienced individuals with the right skill set and training, but they may only “look great on pa-per.” He notes that candidates need to possess important “soft” and workplace skills in order to make them a more qualified candidate for the job.

He explained that WATCH Project staff work closely with project par-

ticipants to develop the “soft” skills employers need. “By carefully choosing candidates, the WATCH Project has an extra screening layer so that employ-ers can ensure they are hiring the right person for the job,” said McGann.

“WATCH participants possess not only the technical skills, but also the interpersonal, communication and ‘soft’ skills,” he said. “I look forward to hiring more graduates,” he added.

WATCH evaluation updateBy Matthew Courser, Associate Research ScientistPacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE)

The Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) coordinates the evaluation of the WATCH Project.

During Year 2 of the WATCH Proj-ect, work on the evaluation continued. It was a team effort between our proj-ect evaluators at PIRE and WATCH staff. We completed semi-annual focus groups of WATCH participants to col-

lect in-depth information about how WATCH is working. Regular partici-pant feedback surveys are collected to ensure that WATCH Project activities are meeting their needs as they com-plete their training and enter the workforce.

Participants completed evaluation surveys when they entered the

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WATCH Project90 Lawton LaneMilton, PA 17847

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This document was supported by Grant #90FX0011 from the Ad-ministration for Children and Families, U.S. Depart-ment of Health & Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS. Work Attributes Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) is a Health Profession Oppor-tunity Grant and is ad-ministered by the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU).

WATCH evaluation update (cont’d)

WATCH Project and again as they reached important milestones, such as completing their training or educa-tion, or as they entered the workforce. These surveys measure outcomes that are important to the success of the WATCH Project, including self-es-teem, self-confidence and grades.

WATCH participants completed em-ployment surveys as they entered the workforce, allowing them to rate their experience with their employer and allowing PIRE to collect job title and wage information. The employers also completed surveys about their new WATCH employees. This information allows PIRE to evaluate the skills and supports needed by participants to be successful in the workforce.

Although the evaluation is a work in progress, the data reinforces the suc-cess of the WATCH Project:

• 80% of Year 2 participants report-ed they are “very satisfied” with the training and support opportunities provided by the WATCH Project.

• 96% of Year 2 participants re-ported they are “very satisfied” with their WATCH Project career coordinator.

• 96% of Year 2 WATCH Project participants reported that the training and support provided by WATCH Project staff reduced the barriers they faced in gaining and maintaining employment.