Gaining Relevant Experience
The Partnership works closely with the Central Corridor College Fellowship (C3F) program, which was established to connect college health care students at Saint Paul College and Minneapolis Community & Technical College, who live in the city of Minneapolis or Saint Paul, to jobs at Anchor institutions.
The program is part of the larger effort to ensure that those who live in Corridor neighborhoods share in the economic benefits of employment opportunities at institutions located in the community. The entire program is designed so that students can get to school, work, and home using the Green Line. C3F assists students in finding entry-level employment at participating health care providers. The goal is for Fellows to gain an inroad at local health care providers and build meaningful work experience prior to graduation from their programs. C3F also connects Fellows with mentors via networking events and online discussion.
C3 Fellows support students from Saint Paul College, MCTC, St. Kate's, Augsburg University, Metropolitan State University, and University of St. Thomas and St. Thomas Dougherty Family College. Students who attend one of the participating partner colleges and are enrolled in health care-related programs are eligible to participate in the program. The program provides educational and practical resources for students to establish their careers along the Central Corridor.
C3 Fellows by the numbers
From 2013 - 2017, approximately 540 students were enrolled as C3 Fellows. Seventy percent were students of color, 76% came from low-income households, 35% were first generation college students, and 80% continue to reside in Minneapolis or Saint Paul. Nearly all Fellows to date were placed in paid positions in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care. The average wage during this time was $14.44/hour, $5 higher than peers not working in their field of study. From 2013 - 2015, overall academic success among C3 Fellows was 10% higher than their peers due to strong mentoring and employment in their field of study. As of February 2017, the C3 Fellows program has created over $600,000 in economic benefit.
Presenting Opportunities
Placing Fellows in health care positions allows students to get a foot in the door at a local employer. After finishing their degrees, Fellows can apply as internal candidates for higher paying jobs. Students can also get ahead by participating in Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), which allows high school students to take courses at Minnesota colleges. Students learn to build and maintain professional connections while bridging academic interests and interacting with patients from diverse backgrounds. C3 Fellows has allowed students to increase their confidence as they start their job search and build their resume. C3 Fellows has also connected previous experiences and education to health care to show students how they qualify for positions they previously did not think were possible.
Image courtesy of C3 Fellows