School-to-Work

School-To-Work is a program that offers health career awareness and learning experiences to high school students enrolled in the English as a second language program.

Program Mission

The School-To-Work Program was created to:

• Improve graduation rates for English Acquisition Students of the Bethlehem Area School District
• Lower absenteeism
• Encourage students toward post-secondary education

Its intent is to engage at-risk students to remain in school by exposing them to health careers and offering support and guidance as they work to achieve fluency in English and obtain valuable career and life skills.

Health Career Exploration

The Health Career Exploration Program is a partnership between PA CareerLink Lehigh Valley and St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network that gives high school students hands-on experience in health care settings.

Program Mission

The Health Career Exploration Program was created to help teens from low-income households develop achievable career and educational goals. Through part-time jobs at St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network, teens have the opportunity to develop valuable career skills in a supportive environment that emphasizes a commitment to academics. Health care professionals serve as mentors, offering direction to students interested in exploring health careers.

Who is Eligible?

Youths entering their senior year of high school that meet the Private Industry Council's income requirements and who have an interest in pursuing opportunities in the healthcare work environment.

Next Step Health Career

The Next Step Health Career Program helps recent high school graduates transition into health-related careers.

Program Mission

The Next Step Health Career Program seeks to train high school graduates, ages 18 to 21, for success in entry-level careers in a health care setting. Participants will receive job-specific training and career coaching provided by St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network staff. At the end of the nine-month program, successful participants will have developed marketable job skills that will be relevant to a variety of health career settings.

Benefits of Participation

• Paid job within the St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network, subsidized by PA CareerLink Lehigh Valley, for nine-month program period 
• Opportunity to apply and expand lessons learned in previous health career programs
• On-the-job training specific to the health care setting in which the participant will work
• Personal career coaching to elevate participants to a higher level of work readiness
• Targeted training in interpersonal skills, job-specific technology, critical thinking, and professional self-presentation 
• Instruction in human resources skills, such as interview etiquette and pre-employment clearance requirements

Who is Eligible?

High school graduates ages 18 to 21 who meet criteria as low-income individuals as set forth by PA CareerLink Lehigh Valley may apply for participation in the Next Step Health Career Program. Applicants will be interviewed by representatives of PA CareerLink and St. Luke's, including a human resources staff member, the job coach, and the department/unit manager of the St. Luke's property where the individual is applying to work.