Meet Caroline
Thursday Mar 9th, 2017
Workforce Challenge
A group of medical and educational institutions, including Johns Hopkins, provided their support to a new workforce training program in Baltimore City by committing to interview the graduating administrative staff and medical assistants for immediate positions.
Workforce Solution
The program is supported by a $249,000 One Baltimore For Jobs grant from the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and led by the nonprofit organization Humanim. It serves individuals between the ages of 18 and 29 who live in distressed neighborhoods and are underemployed or unemployed.
“I always wanted to work in the medical field,” says Caroline Mallard, 25, who was working temporary jobs when she learned of the Humanim program.
Mallard, of Pigtown, was one of 15 individuals who completed the 12-week program, which included advanced soft skills training, Microsoft Office training, Certified Medical Administrative Assistant training at the Community College of Baltimore County, and a two-week internship at Humanim. Another cohort was trained in administrative assistant skills, earning Microsoft Office Specialist certification.
Outcomes & Benefits
After the first group of medical assistants completed their training and the interview process, Johns Hopkins Health System offered positions to eight program participants and hired six.
Mallard says the program was rigorous and prepared her well to interview for positions. She was hired as a patient services coordinator at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, a role she says is a perfect fit.
“I absolutely love it. It’s the first time I’ve been able to say that about a job,” Mallard says. “I know I’ll be here a long time.”
This success story was written for and originally posted in the Johns Hopkins 2016 progress report.