Workforce Development

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver. Join our team and grow your career here!

Learn and Grow with Us

The round image with the words, "Grow Your Career Here" below an illustration of a flower growing in a pot.

We offer:

Training and career advancement programs that offer free tuition, skill development and full-time employment with benefits.
The opportunity to work for the region’s largest health system that offers a supportive, team-based culture, excellent compensation and benefits, growth opportunities and respect for your work-life balance.
Ability to earn college credits, state/national licenses, and certifications while being paid to learn.
Career exploration and work-based learning opportunities for high school and college students.

Patient Care Associate (PCA) Pathway Program

Two patient care associates speak with a woman in a hospital bed, highlighting their role in healthcare settings.

Interested in providing bedside patient care? We offer training for community members and our caregivers to become Patient Care Associates (PCA I).

Training schedule: Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, for six consecutive weeks at Quinsigamond Community College and UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

Program Highlights:

Paid training with salary and benefits
$3,000 stipend for completing the training and maintaining employment for six months
Home Health Aid certificate and Basic Life Support training/certification
Guaranteed job as a PCA I upon completion

Program Eligibility:

Intermediate English skills required
Flexibility to work every other weekend and holiday
High school diploma, GED, or HiSET certificate needed
Willingness to get an MMR vaccination and take a tuberculosis test
Ability to pass a background check and drug test

How to Apply

The application window for the PCA Pathway Program is currently closed. Stay tuned for more details on upcoming cohorts for 2025.

Other Programs

You’ll find below information about other workforce development programs offered at UMass Memorial Health. Come back to this page for updates on upcoming cohorts for these programs and how to apply. For more information, please contact mydevelopment@umassmemorial.org.

NextGen Workforce Program

This program offers summer employment, cooperative education and internship opportunities for young adults interested in exploring health care careers and gaining work-based learning experience leading to jobs throughout the health care industry.

Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program

Central Massachusetts’ first health care registered apprenticeship offered in partnership with the SHARE union and Quinsigamond Community College gives caregivers the training and support needed to become a Certified Medical Assistant.

Frontline Scholars Program

This program offers tuition support and resources to assist caregivers in return to college to obtain the education and training needed to become surgical technologists, respiratory therapists and other hard-to-fill positions.

Foundational Programs

For our caregivers with a desire to learn and grow their careers, we also offer courses like Workplace English and Introduction to Medical Terminology, as well as a U.S. Citizenship Interview Preparation course.