About Innovative Workforce Projects

Innovative Workforce Projects (IWP) was formed in 2021 to offer apprenticeship services as the sponsor and Related Technical Instruction (RTI) provider for a nationally-approved Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) through the US Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.  Current occupations include Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Tech, and Patient Care Tech, which are offered in collaboration with over 20 employer partners in 10 states.

 

RA is an employer-driven training model that combines paid on-the-job training (OJT) with concurrent classroom instruction.  This “earn and learn” approach helps workers learn new skills and helps businesses recruit and retain a highly skilled workforce by growing their own talent.  Businesses can choose to hire new workers or select current employees to join apprenticeship programs.  Additionally, the Department of Labor has found that apprenticeship helps increase diversity in the healthcare workforce by expanding opportunities for skill attainment to traditionally underserved populations.

 

Currently, IWP’s MA program is approved by two nationally accredited certifying bodies: American Medical Technologist (AMT), which issues the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification, and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), which issues the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certification. 

 

The IWP programs utilizes a “classroom” element that is completed online during off hours from the clinic, which allows for maximum flexibility to build program structures that best fit the needs of each employer.  It eliminates any restrictions on minimum or maximum cohort sizes and offers rolling start dates that match the employer’s hiring patterns.  This has been helpful in working across a broad spectrum of organization types, from large statewide healthcare systems to smaller clinics serving rural communities.

 

While the apprentices are working their way through the material, they are offered support, guidance and encouragement from the IWP team, as well as updates on their progress.  Biweekly updates are also provided to the employer (and other partners as applicable) regarding the status of all apprentices from their organization.