Apprenticeship Info

For those interested in a more formal, structured on-the-job training experience, PHMC offers Community Health Worker Apprenticeships in Pennsylvania and Delaware to new CHWs working in the field.

Program Details

This twelve-month placement at a partnering public health organization offers supervised work experience, continued training throughout the placement period, and a $7,500 stipend distributed over the course of the apprenticeship to supplement any salary gained at the work site.

Compared to CHW CORE's experiential placements, apprenticeships have higher requirements for both the host organization and the trainee's supervisor; PHMC reviews tasks the apprentice will undertake as part of the application process, working with the apprenticeship site and supervisor to ensure that trainees will be gaining field experience with every aspect of community health workers' core skills.

Apprenticeships are an alternative to both the didactic and experiential portions of the program, designed for trainees who wish to combine their technical training and introduction to the CHW field with a more spaced-out and comprehensive training period.

In order to support an apprentice training at a host site, CHW CORE pledges to:

Provide a reporting system for the apprentice to demonstrate that they have completed on-site work experience and supervised training as required for CHW state certification totaling at least 2000 hours over the 12 month apprenticeship.
Host virtual peer learning sessions throughout the apprenticeship, connecting the apprentice to other program participants and reinforcing public health competencies gained during the didactic training.
Provide special access to the Health Literacy Specialist Certificate Program (offered through PHMC partner, the Institute for Healthcare Advancement). This self-paced, online training (49 hours) teaches individuals how to lead patient experience initiatives. Participants will gain the confidence to ensure health communications are inclusive and accessible to all. A Healthy Literacy Specialist certificate is earned by completing the course. PHMC covers the training cost, making this training FREE for CHW CORE participants. (The training is otherwise valued at $2,000 per person).
Provide eligible applicants with a $7,500 stipend to assist in covering living expenses throughout the duration of the program.
Provide a dedicated staff member whom you may contact with questions or concerns, or for assistance in completing any part of the training.

How to Get Started

Beginning an apprenticeship requires that you have no or little prior work experience as a community health worker. You must be a newly hired CHW with the express intent of serving as a full-time apprentice. At the time that an apprenticeship contract is finalized between CHW CORE, the apprenticeship site, and the apprentice, you may have no more than 6 months of experience as a CHW under any prior organization.

Most apprentices will be hired with the intention of starting a one-year apprenticeship; however, if you are planning to begin work at a healthcare organization in a CHW or CHW-adjacent role, you can speak with your employer about reaching out to us to set up an apprenticeship contract before your employment begins.

Trainee Expectations

Complete 2,000 hours of on-site community health work with a host organization participating in program activities.
Participate in regular peer learning courses hosted by the National Nurse-led Care Consortium.
Complete the Health Literacy Specialist Certificate Program (49 hours of online, self-paced content). Successful completion results in earning a Health Literacy Specialist certificate.
Complete the required reports and surveys

Stipend

In order to help remove barriers to participation and encourage completion of the training, HRSA has provided the CHW CORE Training Program with funding to support trainees with a monetary incentive in the form of a living expense stipend.

How is the stipend distributed?

Each apprentice working at a host site will receive a stipend. This stipend is divided evenly over the program period; apprentices receive $625 per month, for a total of up to $7,500.

What do I need to be eligible for the stipend?

Trainees working in apprenticeships are eligible for the stipend if:

They are over the age of 18.
They are a US citizen or permanent resident.
They are a resident of Pennsylvania or New Castle County, Delaware.

When can I expect to receive the stipend payments?

Apprentices at host sites are expected to submit monthly overviews of their work, as well as reports from their supervisor on site. Once a month, the CHW CORE determines all trainees that have met their benchmark requirements for a stipend payment. If a trainee has completed all necessary paperwork and completed benchmarks for a stipend, their payment will be entered into PHMC's invoice system, to be paid out after completing the approval process (usually 30-45 days later). Otherwise, payment for that stipend will be delayed until they have completed those requirements.

Trainees WILL NOT receive their stipend earlier if they complete the benchmarks for a later month; payments will be entered at their respective months regardless of whether the trainings were completed earlier.

Google Sites

Report abuse