Private-sector partnership prepares young people for careers in health care
Region: Global
Increasing interest in and reducing barriers to entering the health care workforce are central to Johnson & Johnson’s Bridge to Employment (BTE) program. Managed by FHI 360, BTE has over the past 20 years established sites in 65 high-need communities throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. In 2012, the 15 corporately funded sites — partnerships between 23 local Johnson & Johnson companies, 19 secondary schools and 17 higher education institutions — provided more than 500 students a variety of activities that promote high standards of learning and connect students with the workplace, including career coaching, shadowing or internships. An additional 1,800 youth also gained valuable exposure to careers in science, technology, engineering, math and health through school-wide guest lectures and workshops. The efforts are paying off: BTE graduates in 2012 obtained higher grades over a comparison group (about 12 percent), were accepted to colleges and universities (100 percent) and plan to pursue a health career (62 percent).
Funder: Johnson & Johnson
