Community Foundation Tampa Bay awards Ultimate Medical Academy Grant to Help Meet Need for EMTs
06 Mayo 2024 - 10:08AM
Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) was awarded a significant grant from
the Community Foundation Tampa Bay to support Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT) apprentices. This grant aims to address
critical financial barriers faced by apprentices, ensuring their
successful graduation and entry into the workforce.
The grant, totaling $25,000, will provide
essential financial resources to assist qualifying apprentices with
support for necessities such as childcare, housing, utilities, food
and transportation. These supports are vital to overcoming
obstacles that often prevent low-income, minority and underserved
students from completing advanced career training programs.
The EMT Apprenticeship Program, a collaboration
between UMA and The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay (CCTB), targets the
critical shortage of certified EMTs in the Tampa Bay area. By
offering robust recruitment and comprehensive support services,
including career counseling and professional development, the
program aims to address workforce shortages while promoting
diversity within healthcare professions. While completing the
CCTB’s apprenticeship program, students are concurrently
earning an EMT diploma from UMA.
Tampa Bay is in dire need of EMTs to serve a
booming population. CareerSource Tampa Bay’s Regional Demand
Occupations List includes EMT as a highly demanded profession, with
an anticipated 10% growth from 2021 to 2026. Occupational demand
suggests the number of vacancies will grow while the supply of EMTs
will remain flat or decline. The number of EMTs eligible for hire
within Tampa Bay declined by 11% between 2016 and 2021.
“For many people – especially adult learners –
the path to an academic program that can unlock career growth is
made enormously difficult by everyday obstacles like finding
childcare or accessing time-efficient transportation to
attend class,” said Bridget Hyde, vice president of research and
development at UMA. “This grant from the Community Foundation Tampa
Bay will help remove those hurdles for individuals in need who are
eager to fill important healthcare jobs in our community.”
UMA will use the funds exclusively to support
learners of the EMT Apprenticeship Program.
“We are proud to support UMA as they provide
holistic high-quality job training leading to employment in
career-advancing fields,” said Dr. Katie Shultz, Community
Foundation Tampa Bay’s senior director of community investments.
“These types of programs are essential to supporting the economic
mobility of Tampa Bay residents. Understanding that there are
many barriers that can impede an individual’s ability to complete a
job training program, this grant will fund vital support services
such as transportation, rent/utility, food and childcare for
participants.”
For more information about the EMT
Apprenticeship Program and UMA's initiatives, please visit
ultimatemedical.edu.
About Ultimate Medical Academy
The need for skilled healthcare workers in the
United States continues to grow. Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is
an accredited, nonprofit educational institution that helps to meet
that need by equipping and empowering students to do vital work at
the heart of healthcare. In addition to offering diploma and degree
programs, UMA works closely with healthcare companies to connect
students directly to job opportunities.
Based in Tampa, Florida, and operating for 30
years, UMA offers hands-on learning at its main campus in
Clearwater, Florida as well as content-rich, interactive programs
through its online campus. The institution supports students
through every step of their journey with access to academic
support, interview and resume coaching, job search assistance,
technical support and more.
UMA has more than 85,000 alumni and more than
14,000 students nationwide. The institution also provides certified
continuing medical education (CME) through ongoing training and
professional development opportunities to physicians, nurses and
other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.
UMA is institutionally accredited by
the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES,
www.ABHES.org). The continuing medical education programs are
individually accredited and are not included within the
institution’s grant of accreditation from ABHES. Learn more by
visiting www.ultimatemedical.edu
About Community Foundation Tampa Bay
Community Foundation Tampa Bay is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to building a vibrant and prosperous
community through transformative leadership and philanthropy. They
work to connect people, ideas, and resources to create lasting
impact. The Community Foundation Tampa Bay has been growing
philanthropy in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus
counties since 1990.
Crystal L. Lauderdale
Ultimate Medical Academy
media@ultimatemedical.edu