CHOP and Mastery Schools will partner in a high school to train students for health care jobs
The effort is part of a $250 million Bloomberg Philanthropies program designed to expand the nation's middle class.
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A partnership of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Mastery Schools is participating in a $250 million Bloomberg Philanthropies nationwide program announced Wednesday to create 10 high schools focused on training students for health-care jobs.
The Philadelphia partnership will receive $19.6 million over five years to revamp an existing Mastery school to prepare graduates for positions such as surgical technologists, radiology technicians, and respiratory therapists, Bloomberg said. Specialized health-care classes will be co-taught with CHOP employees, and CHOP will provide job opportunities for graduates.
“For too long, our education system has failed to prepare students for good jobs in high-growth industries,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and former New York City mayor. “America needs more healthcare workers, and we need a stronger, larger middle-class — and this is a way to help accomplish both goals.”
Other cities involved in the program include Boston, New York, Dallas, and Houston. The Bloomberg initiative also includes rural areas in Alabama and Tennessee.
The Bloomberg money will pay for start-up costs, such as classroom and lab renovations, plus the cost of hiring specialized personnel. The money can also be used to develop curricula, lab materials and equipment, and stipends for work-based learning, Bloomberg said.
Mastery plans a local announcement of the program in the spring, when it will disclose which location in its charter school network will be used for the Bloomberg program, said Yvette A. Núñez, chief of staff at Mastery. The school is slated to begin operating in September 2025. Mastery operates 24 schools in Philadelphia and Camden with 14,000 students.
CHOP, which had $4 billion in revenue in the year ended June 30, has hospitals in University City and King of Prussia. It employs nearly 19,000 people. The nonprofit already participates in job-training programs for local residents, including the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, which trains adults.