BATON ROUGE (press release) — The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System has partnered with academic publisher Wiley to provide its more than 18,000 employees with expanded access to career-connected online education. FMOLHS serves patients in Louisiana and Mississippi through a network of hospitals, clinics, physicians, elderly housing and integrated systems. The company’s education benefits will be provided through Wiley Beyond—the Wiley division that aligns talent strategy with business strategy—and are aimed at recruiting, retaining and developing its workforce through more accessible pathways to career advancement.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care employment is expected to increase 16% by 2030, adding 2.6 million new jobs, even as workforce shortages today persist following the pandemic. Health care companies are increasingly turning to learning and development solutions to grow talent from within their organizations.
“As a mission-focused Catholic health care ministry, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is committed to assisting our employees gain new skills and expertise,” said Tina Schaffer, chief DEI officer and talent strategy at FMOLHS. “This partnership provides our teams across Louisiana and Mississippi with the tools and flexibility to achieve their career goals, while helping us grow talent from within the organization. With many health care systems experiencing staffing shortages and turnover following the pandemic, investing in our employees’ education will allow us to better serve our patients.”
FMOLHS employees will have access to hundreds of online undergraduate and graduate programs as well as certificates and micro-credentials across Wiley Beyond’s 72 partner institutions. This learning network includes some of the nation’s top-ranked universities that range from large, regional public universities, to small, rural and private nonprofit institutions. Employees will be provided with individualized career pathways with matching educational programs to meet their specific goals as well as organizational needs. Specific pathways include Certified Nursing Assistants and Medical Assistants.
“We are pleased to partner with the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System to provide more than 18,000 FMOLHS employees with access to outcomes-driven online education programs,” said Todd Zipper, executive vice president at Wiley. “These upskilling programs, with individualized career pathways for in-demand roles such as nursing and medical assistants, will meet the immediate and long-term goals of the organization, while supporting employees’ career advancement. This approach will help FMOLHS retain top talent, close skills gaps, and shape the health care workforce of tomorrow.”
Wiley Beyond will also provide support services to guide enrolled employees throughout their academic and professional journeys. For example, participating employees are each paired with an education advisor who will offer proactive advising throughout the employee’s time in an online program.
FMOLHS joins a growing roster of 77 corporate partners across the country that are investing in their workforces through Wiley Beyond’s more than 1,200 degree and non-degree education programs, including certificates and associate’s, bachelor’s and graduate degree programs. Wiley Beyond also partners with states, offering its tools and services to help eliminate skills gaps, increase employment and allow businesses to become more competitive in a global economy.
