Today, at Goodwill Industries’ International Spring Advocacy conference, the Department of Labor (DOL) Assistant Secretary Jane Oates announced the launch of the Virtual Career Network (VCN), an online portal for career exploration and training for healthcare occupations.
“Health care continues to be one of the bright lights in our improving economy,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “In order to sustain this positive momentum, we must do everything we can to ensure that our workforce is equipped with the skills and experience that meet the needs of this growing industry. This exciting new platform will help connect people with the knowledge and training they need to qualify for available health care jobs.”
The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) and other organizations partnered with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), which had received a grant from DOL to develop the VCN. NAWB conducted research on healthcare occupations and education and training programs to populate the site, and partnered with Jobs for the Future to develop and deliver training on its use.
“Our members understand the demand for healthcare workers across the United States. Having a skilled healthcare workforce is essential to a community’s growth and infrastructure,” said Ron Painter, Chief Executive Officer at NAWB. “We have worked extensively with AACC and other partners to ensure that jobseekers have a comprehensive one-stop portal of information to enter and excel in the healthcare field. We hope that all WIB staff will share this tool and use it to get jobseekers into this growing industry.”
Jobseekers can use the VCN to:
- Explore over 80 healthcare occupations, 11 of which require less than one-year of education and 37 that require a two-year degree;
- Assess their interest, aptitude and readiness to pursue a healthcare career and complete the education and training needed to obtain a job;
- Determine whether any gaps exist in their academic preparation or prior work experience that they would need to fill to prepare for their healthcare career;
- Take foundation education and training online through the VCN to prepare them for enrollment;
- Locate and enroll in a training or instructional program that will qualify them for a job; and
- Access tools that will help them locate and apply for job openings.
The VCN allows users to set up a career management account and store career preferences and information. In addition, users can find national and local information about healthcare careers and see job listings in their area. Also of interest to workforce professionals is the affiliation of VCN as a proud partner of America’s Job Center Network.