Approximately 60 people attended the Workforce Development and Training meeting on Jan. 20, held at the HASC Los Angeles Office in partnership with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. The meeting consisted of member hospitals, Workforce Investment Board representatives and training providers to discuss health workforce needs in Los Angeles County.

The goal of the meeting was to educate member hospitals about the Workforce Investment System; provide a forum for hospitals to share both current and future workforce needs to training providers; and allow training providers to share information regarding their programs and how they might respond to the needs of hospitals.

The discussion focused on the need for training providers and educational institutions to align their training programs, resources and curriculum to meet employer demand. “I see a great opportunity for HASC and the LA Area Chamber of Commerce to help bridge the gaps between hospitals and training providers and to work more collaboratively to build a workforce that is directly responsive to the needs of hospitals and other health care providers,” said Teri Hollingsworth, HASC vice president, human resource services.

HASC and the LA Area Chamber of Commerce have already begun mapping out the next steps in addressing this critical issue, and will hold follow-up meetings with key stakeholders to further assess the issue and to identify ways to bridge the gap between hospitals and training providers.