Greenville Students Join Health Care Apprenticeship Program

Greenville Students Join Health Care Apprenticeship Program

Greenville, SC – On August 6, six rising juniors from Greenville County took an important step towards their future careers in healthcare by joining Prisma Health’s Youth Apprenticeship program. This initiative is designed to provide students with hands-on experience while addressing the ongoing shortage of registered nurses in South Carolina.

As per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, South Carolina is projected to face the fourth-largest nursing shortage in the nation by 2030. Prisma Health is working to combat this issue by offering high school students a chance to gain valuable skills and knowledge in the healthcare field. The program collaborates with Greenville Technical College and Greenville County Schools to create pathways for students interested in nursing and healthcare professions.

The six students selected for this year’s cohort were chosen through a competitive application process. They will serve as nursing support assistants at Prisma Health while taking both high school and college courses. Each student is expected to work 12 hours per week in this paid position, gaining real-world experience in a hospital setting.

The apprentices – Jenna Reynolds, Leen Darwisha, Graycie Miller, Ava Cross, Ellison Nash, and Jaliyah Bryant – expressed their excitement about the opportunity. Leen Darwisha, a student from Riverside High School, shared her motivation for applying, saying, “I love helping others. I’m very grateful for this. I think I want to pursue nursing and maybe continue on to med school.”

By the end of the program, these students will have earned roughly 27 college credits and completed prerequisite courses that will help them in their nursing career pathways. They will also have increased employment opportunities at Prisma Health.

Gwen Hall, Prisma’s vice president of talent, learning, and organizational development, emphasized that the program aims to introduce high school students to various careers in the clinical field, helping to mitigate the gaps in healthcare.

This apprenticeship program not only benefits the students but also plays a vital role in addressing the healthcare workforce challenges in the region.