Ivy Tech Community College has expanded its partnership with provider organizations to train more people to meet growing demand for health care workers.

Northwest Health, which operates hospitals in La Porte, Knox and Valparaiso, is the latest care provider to partner with Ivy Tech to train people to become nurses, nursing assistants and other clinical professionals. The goal is to get more people trained to clinical professions and serve the communities of Northwest Indiana, Northwest Health said.

Ivy Tech has similar training partnerships with Ascension and Franciscan Health System.

“This program will allow us to attract more students to nursing and other clinical professions and encourage them to remain in the community after graduation.” said Ashley Dickinson, CEO of Northwest Health. “Ivy Tech has a dedicated faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, like simulation labs, that provide outstanding training.”

Dickinson said Northwest Health is impressed with the caliber of nurses and other clinical professionals who graduate from Ivy Tech.

“(We’re) pleased we’ll soon have more of them working at Northwest Health,” she said.

The arrangement between Ivy Tech and Northwest Health provides educational incentives to increase the number students training to be clinical professionals while helping employees, often in non-clinical positions, advance their careers through education. 

Northwest Health continues to expand tuition reimbursement in addition to deferred tuition for employees pursuing a degree and/or certification at Ivy Tech. Upon graduation, Northwest Health provides these students with future employment in their new profession.

The program is available to all Northwest Health employees which includes Northwest Health – La Porte, Northwest Health – Porter, Northwest Health – Starke, Northwest Medical Group, Northwest Health Occupational Medicine, Northwest Health Radiation Oncology, Northwest Health Emergency Medical Services and Northwest Health Surgicare.