Workforce Partnerships
The Academy for Career Readiness at Nuvance Health
This year, Dalio Education and Nuvance Health, part of Northwell Health, partnered to launch the Academy for Career Readiness, a new initiative designed to prepare young people experiencing disconnection in Norwalk for meaningful careers in healthcare. With a focus on youth ages 18-26 who are not enrolled in high school and unemployed, the Academy will help young people navigate barriers while helping to address the critical shortage of healthcare workers in Connecticut.
The Dalio Education and CTOP team is applying frameworks, practices, and lessons learned from our work with CTOP’s seven grantee partners to design and implement the Academy for Career Readiness as a multi-year pathway where participants are paid to develop technical and professional skills necessary to succeed in the healthcare workforce.
The program begins with one-on-one case management meetings to assess and address basic needs, with Domus Kids as the partner provider of these initial services. Once young people are stabilized, they progress to classroom-based job readiness programming, and begin practicing hard and soft skills while cycling through shadow shifts of different career pathways at Norwalk Hospital. Based on their workforce training and immersive experience, participants select a career specialization they want to pursue.
Throughout the program, case managers continue to support participants in overcoming barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, housing, and food insecurity. Then once employed on a path to self-sufficiency, participants receive ongoing support in career counseling, as well as in accessing internal mobility pathways and continuing education with tuition assistance.
How will young people be recruited and supported?
In partnership with CTOP grantee partner Domus Kids, Nuvance Health identifies and enrolls participants while providing continuous case management and support services.
What skills and experiences will prepare participants for success?
The program integrates professional competencies from the National Association of College and Employers like communication, reliability, and teamwork, as well as technical skill development with hands-on training in high-demand healthcare roles.
How will impact be measured?
The Academy aims to provide full-time employment with potential for career growth, while building a sustainable pipeline for the healthcare workforce.
By aligning the expertise of public, private, and philanthropic partners, the Academy will demonstrate how cross-sector collaboration can create real, measurable outcomes for young people who have been chronically underserved when intentionally designed to meet their specific needs, while strengthening the healthcare system that is vital to Connecticut’s future.