On Monday, May 22nd, Broward College celebrated the official opening of the new Sunshine Health Training Center.
In February, Broward College received a $100,000 grant from Sunshine Health to establish the Broward UP™ @ Sunshine Health Training Center in the City of Lauderhill.
Broward College and Sunshine Health are collaborating on this new initiative that will brighten the career landscape of the City and pave the way for a unique educational facility that will equip residents with the skills necessary to thrive in the health care job marketplace, one of the most in-demand career fields.
In attendance were the City of Lauderhill’s Mayor Ken Thurson and Commissioner Melissa Dunn, Sunshine Health’s President & CEO, Nathan Landsbaum, Broward UP students Voneshia Corbin and Abby Rayno, and Broward College’s Senior VP of Workforce Education and Innovation, Dr. Mildred Coyne, and Associate VP of Workforce Development, Diane Peart.
THE STATS
According to Data USA, the City of Lauderhill had a median household income of $43,658 and median household value of $178,500 in 2020. These stats included 1-year growth rates of 4.64% and 15.6%, respectively. 80% of the population (57.5k people) is Black or African American with 37.3% (26.8k people) of Lauderhill residents born outside of the country accounting for over 40 languages spoken.
Almost one fifth (19.1%) of the City’s total population lives below the poverty line which is higher than the national average of 12.8%. About nine times the amount of women received some sort of post-secondary education than men, yet black women are 42% of those living under the poverty line with young males under the age of eleven being the next.
Broward College’s Broward UP™ and Sunshine Health are set out to change these stats for the better.
THE PARTNERS
Broward UP™ (Unlimited Potential) has expanded Broward College’s service model to ensure all Broward County residents have access to post-secondary education. Through Broward UP, Broward College is offering FREE workforce training and student support services online and directly in neighborhoods throughout Broward County. Their goal is to help the community get the training needed to find a good job, make more money, and get the skills needed to thrive in a career.
Sunshine Health, headquartered in Broward County, is among the largest healthcare plans in Florida. Offering coordinated care and a network of support for its more than 2 million members, Sunshine Health is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time by focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Sunshine Health offers government-sponsored managed care through Medicaid, Long Term Care, Medicare and Florida’s Health Insurance Marketplace. Additionally, our specialty plans include the Child Welfare Specialty Plan serving children in or adopted from the state’s Child Welfare system; the Serious Mental Illness Specialty Plan for people living with serious mental illness; and the Children’s Medical Services Health Plan, operated by Sunshine Health on behalf of the Florida Department of Health for children and adolescents with special healthcare needs.
THE TRAINING CENTER
The new partnership brings free training and certification opportunities to Broward County residents interested in starting a career in healthcare.
The Broward College-Sunshine Health Training Center is located at Sunshine Health’s Lauderhill Welcome Room within the Lauderhill Mall at 1299C N.W. 40th Ave.
This will create an additional access point to help equip residents with the skills necessary to enter the healthcare job marketplace. The partnership is the latest venture in Sunshine Health’s statewide workforce development program, called Sunshine Health Works, which provides pathways to prosperity for communities across the state.
Nathan Landsbaum
“Sunshine Health is committed to the communities we serve by supporting and investing in resources that address critical community needs,” said Nathan Landsbaum, CEO of Sunshine Health. “This collaboration with Broward College allows residents to gain job skills and creates opportunities for them to have a successful future.”
Several courses will be offered, with a focus on providing essential skills for in-demand medical positions. These courses include Electronic Medical Records, Health Career Core, Medical Administrative Assistant, and Revenue Cycle.
Participants who complete these classes will receive a Broward College certificate and micro-credential, both of which can lead to career placement or opportunities for further study. For certifications that require additional testing, a testing voucher will be provided to students.
Sunshine Health’s new partnership with Broward College coincides with a larger expansion program that will provide a pathway for participants to secure a career in high-demand fields to better meet the needs of the workforce within Leon, Hillsborough, and Broward counties.