CUMU Conference 2019

The Drexel University College of Medicine has offered employment pipelines to address its costly turnover of Medical Assistants. These entry-level, career-ladder positions in STEM were filled by local hires trained in essential and technical skills by Drexel University Human Resources and the College of Medicine and a nonprofit workforce trainer. In 2019, Drexel will create a local employment pipeline for Patient Service Representatives applying the best practices of the existing program thereby cementing its anchor institution strategy of civic engagement and economic inclusion.

Higher education institutions are called to engage with local communities to serve as anchor institutions. These public purposes are not traditionally related to business practices. This successful project illustrated how institutional business needs connect with community employment needs to create positive outcomes. The unique engagement of Drexel Human Resources to train and employ the community’s most valued resources – people – demonstrates the progress institutions of higher education have made to inform the concepts of community engagement and anchor institution strategy.

This session will examine how the University’s institutional anchor strategy has become embedded into its business operations. Presenters will provide a summary of their institution’s methodology in optimizing these pipelines. Specific focus of the presentation will be dedicated to the positive outcomes of the Medical Assistant pipeline, development of the new Patient Service Representative pipeline, and share best practices that were applied from the Medical Assistant model. Session participants will have multiple opportunities to ask questions, provide feedback, and connect with colleagues during the session.