AKRON, Ohio — Life comes fast and it can be hard to juggle everything at once. Akron Children's Hospital already boosted its minimum wage to $15 per hour, but didn't want to stop there. Now, the hospital offers a unique program where training for advancement is essentially free, knocking down barriers as well.

What You Need To Know

  • The medical industry is growing quickly, making it hard to find qualified candidates to fill positions

  • Akron Children's Hospital is taking away almost every barrier, including cost, transportation and child care in order for individuals to advance in certain fields

  • It paired up with multiple local colleges, universities and training centers to assist people in their search for better jobs

Celeste Johnson always wanted to be a nurse. During her time as a med tech for Akron Children's Hospital, her goal became more specific.

“During those times is when I decided I wanted to be a critical care nurse,” said Johnson, an LPN Career Launch student.

Now a student at Portage Lakes Career Center, Johnson is in a unique program called Career Launch.

The goal is to help place people in better paying jobs with Akron Children's Hospital — a two-way street of people securing better paying jobs and the hospital being able to fill positions that are growing rapidly.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, between 2019 and 2029, LPN positions are expected to grow by 9%, creating approximately 65,000 openings.

Registered respiratory technician and medical assistant positions are expected to grow by 19%, creating 26,000 RRT openings and almost 140,000 MA positions. All of these numbers are much higher than average.

Johnson came across the program when surfing the web one night at work.

“I was like, 'oh, what is this Career Launch?'” said Johnson.

The program covers the cost of tuition as well as other supplies like books and lab fees, as well as the cost of transportation and even child care if needed.

When Johnson finishes her program, she'll be a LPN and has even accepted a job offer before graduation. She said she's grateful for the help she's received and is excited about the future.

The only thing the hospital asks in return from Career Launch participants is a two-year commitment in their graduated field.

The four jobs covered by the program now are medical assistants, LPNs, registered nurses, respiratory therapists and EEG technicians. They hope to expand to more career options in the future.