From Entry Level to a Green Career
A new two-year program for SEIU members in Southern California, New York, Seattle, and DC focuses on the idea that at Kaiser, clean also means green. The "From Entry Level to a Green Career" project builds a career ladder for environmental and building service employees while supporting a cleaner, greener hospital. Participating workers also get new career advancement and education opportunities including English language training and a college certificate program. To learn more, read about the program on the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers-West website.

Education Fund Academic Recognition Ceremonies
2009-2010 Graduates honored at events in Northern and Southern California

EMERYVILLE - When her little sister was being born, Christine Lam had to be the translator for her mother during labor at the hospital. Born and raised in Hong Kong until the age of 14, Christine barely spoke English. “Can you image how difficult this was,” Christine recalled. “I didn’t even know how to describe to the nurse that my mom was in a lot of pain and needed some pain medication.”  Then a nurse came along who showed Christine and her family compassion and patience. “She cared about us and I was very inspired by her. I told myself I wanted to be a nurse just like her.”

After working as a Licensed Vocational Nurse for eight years, Christine became a Registered Nurse this year thanks to SEIU UHW-West, Kaiser Permanente and the SEIU UHW-West & Joint Employer Education Fund. “I am grateful for the partnership between the union and Kaiser who agreed to contribute to the Education Fund during the collective bargaining process,” says Christine. “Otherwise, I would not have been successful in graduating with honors from the LVN-to-RN program at Mission College.”

Christine shared her story at the Education Fund’s Northern California Academic Recognition Ceremony in Emeryville on June 5th. She is one of more than 300 SEIU members who have graduated from Registered Nurse and allied health programs with tutoring support, on-the-job training and financial assistance from the Education Fund, an education and training benefit for SEIU healthcare workers funded by collectively bargained employer contributions. “These workers have not just moved up the career ladder and improved their lives – the healthcare workforce and ultimately patient care has been improved,” said Hal Ruddick, Education Fund Trustee, Hospital Division Director for SEIU UHW-West and a guest speaker at the June 5th event. “It’s an example of what can be accomplished when management and labor work together for a common goal."

“These workers have not just moved up the career ladder and improved their lives – the healthcare workforce and ultimately patient care has been improved”

Hal Ruddick, Education Fund Employee Trustee

The guest speaker was Linda Squires Grohe, Dean of the School of Health and Physical Education at City College of San Francisco, which partners with the Education Fund to provide classes and training opportunities to eligible employees. Ms. Grohe advised the graduates as they embark upon their new careers to be good listeners, be open to change and be flexible. “These will hold you in good stead when the day is done.”

A similar celebration for Southern California graduates was held on June 19. Student speakers at that event included Laarni Mendoza, a graduate of the LVN program at Pacific College. While attending the program Laarni received from the Education Fund free of charge career counseling and a Forgivable Loan that enabled her to take time off work with pay to attend school and study. "The one-day paid-off for school and studying really enabled me to focus without having to worry about income," Laarni says. "Having a career counselor who was there to monitor me on my academic progress encouraged me to do better.”

Barbara Norrish, Director of Operations for Kaiser Northern California Regional Patient Care Services, also a speaker at the Northern California event, praised the graduates for going back to school despite the obvious obstacles. “You left a job in which you had security and entered into the role of student and that’s a hard transition – coming face-to-face with what you don’t know - but you succeeded and here you are celebrating.”

The Education Fund is proud to have supported these members as they worked to improve their lives, said Beth D. Marcus, Interim Executive Director of the Education Fund. “For many, this is just the beginning of their healthcare career journey and we look forward to continuing to assisting them in their career development.”