DuBois- People who wish to pursue a career in nursing now have a new option in Northwestern/Central Pennsylvania. Penn Highlands Healthcare and Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI) entered into a partnership to provide tuition, clinical rotations and employment agreements to students entering CPI’s licensed practical nursing program. Upon completion of the program, graduates will have the option of working at one of the many Penn Highlands Healthcare hospitals, outpatient facilities, and physician practices in the 26 counties served by the health system. The partnership is intended to address a regional shortage in nursing.
According to the agreement, Penn Highlands will provide up to $20,000 in educational funding while the student attends the one-year program. In exchange, qualified students enrolled in CPI’s LPN program will sign an employment agreement that includes a full-time benefits package with the health system.
“We are very excited to partner with Penn Highlands Healthcare and their regional network of care facilities,” said Todd Taylor, Vice President of Post-Secondary Education at CPI. “The new Penn Highlands scholarship for CPI nursing students is an example of the out-of-the-box thinking needed to grow the pipeline of students to meet today’s extreme skilled workforce shortage.”
Heather Franci, MBHA, BSN, RN, chief nursing officer for Penn Highlands Healthcare and service line director for The Heart Center, The Lung Center, Brain & Spine and Oncology Services, shares Mr. Taylor’s enthusiasm. “CPI has a reputation for effectively preparing students to enter the workforce and their long-term career success. This is an outstanding opportunity for CPI students seeking careers in nursing and it will prove beneficial for our health system. The students will receive an excellent education from one of the region’s best career schools along with a seamless transition into the workforce and we will gain highly qualified nurses.”
According to Mr. Taylor, in addition to the Penn Highlands tuition funding, eligible practical nursing students may qualify for grant funding in excess of $10,000 to help with school-related expenses, such as transportation, gas, childcare, housing and more.
“This is really a game-changing opportunity for students who want to go to school and start a career as a practical nurse,” said Mr. Taylor. “CPI looks forward to working closely with Penn Highlands Healthcare as we grow our campus and expand our health-related degree programs.”
To qualify for the program, students must enroll in the LPN program at CPI. Once accepted into the program, they will then be directed to a member of the Human Resources staff at Penn Highlands to review the scholarship guidelines and complete the application.
For more information, contact Todd Taylor at ttaylor@cpi.edu or 814-359-2793 ext. 217.
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About Penn Highlands Healthcare
Penn Highlands Healthcare was officially formed in 2011, and is comprised of eight hospitals – Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Clearfield, Penn Highlands Connellsville, Penn Highlands DuBois, Penn Highlands Elk, Penn Highlands Huntingdon, Penn Highlands Mon Valley and Penn Highlands Tyrone — that have served area communities for the past 100+ years.
Its business continuum also includes home care agencies, long-term care facilities and residential senior living communities, as well as durable medical equipment companies and retail pharmacies.
Penn Highlands Healthcare has evolved into an organization with 6,651 workers in 150+ locations throughout 26 counties in Pennsylvania that include community medical buildings, outpatient facilities, surgery centers and physician practices. The facilities have a total of 1,498 inpatient, skilled nursing and personal care beds. The system, which has 827 physicians and 405 advanced practice providers on staff, offers a wide range of care and treatments with specialty units for cancer, cardiovascular/thoracic, neurosurgery, pulmonology, neonatal and high-risk pregnancy patients. Being focused on what is important – patients and families – makes Penn Highlands Healthcare the best choice in the region.
About Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI)
Founded in 1969, the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI) is a career and technology center (CTC) conveniently located off the Harrison Road Exit of Interstate 99 in scenic Centre County, Pennsylvania. The 32-acre campus includes two beautifully landscaped courtyards, a central auditorium, comfortable classrooms, and workshops equipped with industry relevant equipment.
CPI offers 26 in-house degree and diploma programs, over 60 continuing education programs, and more than 350 online courses. As part of its mission, CPI is addressing key challenges in central Pennsylvania—from workforce development to student achievement, from economic vitality to global competitiveness, and from regional skills shortages to customized business and industry training. The vision for CPI includes campus expansion, a greater array of in-demand training opportunities, and results that contribute to a better-trained workforce and greater economic vitality for the central Pennsylvania region.