Jody Jencks | Director, PVD HealthWorks
1. What is PVD HealthWorks? In 2017, [Providence] created PVD HealthWorks to meet the growing demands of the health care and social-assistance industry in Rhode Island. As the state’s health care intermediary, we develop partnerships that will create diverse training pipelines, career pathways and other workforce services.
2. Why is the health care and social-assistance industry the focus for employment? Health care is one of the largest and fastest-growing employment sectors in the state and is the largest employer within Providence. Greater Providence has more than 700 health care employers. This sector has been affected by a documented labor shortage, as well as a growing mismatch between workforce preparedness and the changing skills that will be required as the health care sector modernizes.
3. How do you connect employers with Providence residents? PVD HealthWorks actively fosters [services] around shared needs to maximize employment capacity and access, while filling open positions with skilled talent. PVD HealthWorks employs a competency model of skill development utilizing experiential learning and mentorship.
4. How did your prior experience at Care New England, Butler Hospital and Kent Hospital prepare you for this new role? Rhode Island’s health care landscape is changing rapidly. To be successful, we must have common goals and work collaboratively to impact better care, smarter spending and healthier people. My career in health care has taught me the importance of cross-collaboration, inclusivity and how we need to think strategically to support the demands in health care. By addressing stackable credentials and academic credit, challenging funding formulas and ensuring the mobility of our new and incumbent talent pipeline, PVD HealthWorks can transform the continuum of care.
5. What are the specific jobs in the industry that need filling and are most Providence job seekers prepared for them? Entry to employment focuses on high-demand occupations and invests in the right talent with the right competencies and skills to support the health care and social-assistance labor market. Our areas of focus are medical assistants, direct-support professionals, diagnostic imaging and medical technicians, nursing, oral health, pharmacy technicians, peer-recovery specialists and case management.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at Macdonald@PBN.com.
