A Win-Win Relationship

A WIN-WIN RELATIONSHIP

KETTERING COLLEGE & KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

Tiffany Thompson, director of nursing at Kettering Health Network, speaks to prospective students during Explore Kettering about her experience as a Kettering College graduate and how she gives back as an alum and a hiring manager at Kettering Health Network.

It is no secret that the United States is facing a potential shortage of health care professionals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care jobs will be among the fastest-growing occupations in the United States through 2026, accounting for about 2.4 million new jobs.*

To address the growing need, Kettering College and Kettering Health Network (KHN) have strengthened their longstanding partnership to build a pipeline to job opportunities within KHN. The partnership benefits both organizations.

“Kettering College students are a natural fit within Kettering Health Network,” said Stephen O’Neal, vice president of patient care services and assistant chief nursing offi cer at KHN. “Not only are they dedicated and well-rounded students, but they already exhibit Kettering Health Network’s mission and values, which gives them a good foundation to become Kettering Health Network employees.”

As Kettering Health Network expands its services and geographic presence in southwest Ohio, the College and KHN have collaborated to maximize employment opportunities for Kettering College graduates. More than half of the College’s 2019 graduates obtained jobs within Kettering Health Network.

Ben Hotelling, director of alumni engagement and career services, works closely with Kettering Health Network to develop pathways for employing Kettering College students. This includes creating open lines of communication with KHN’s human resources department and promoting Kettering College students during leadership and hiring manager meetings.

In 2017, the two organizations began hosting an annual on-campus hiring event for graduating students. In 2019, the hiring event grew to two days to accommodate students in the sonography, radiology, nursing, and respiratory care programs.

The event allows Kettering Health Network hiring managers to reach qualifi ed candidates and meet their growing workforce needs, all while helping students fi nd their ideal career fi t prior to graduating.

“This hiring event helps students create a plan for success,” said Emma Glass ‘19, sonography graduate. “The partnership with Kettering Health Network really sets Kettering College apart from other schools. It’s a unique advantage to have hiring managers come directly to campus and not just conduct interviews, but also off er jobs on the spot. It demonstrates how committed Kettering Health Network is to hiring our grads.”

Tiffany Thompson '11 said attending Kettering College fostered her love of learning and nurtured her calling to become a nurse. Now, as director of nursing at Kettering Health Network, Thompson is passionate about hiring Kettering College graduates.

“As I look back, I credit so much to Kettering College and the faculty and staff who supported and encouraged me along every step of the journey,” Thompson said. “They helped me believe that I could succeed. I’m blessed to be in a position where I can now ‘pay it forward’ to the next generation of health care professionals.”

Amy Dietz ’97, a clinical nurse manager at Kettering Health Network, said she finds it rewarding to work with students from her alma mater.

“I take great pride in helping Kettering College students grow and navigate their career paths,” she said. “It’s Kettering Health Network’s mission to improve the quality of life for people in our communities, and this includes Kettering College students. Their success is our success.”

TUITION DISCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS, KHN EMPLOYEES

For many students, employment within Kettering Health Network begins well before graduation. In 2017, the College began offering a 30 percent tuition discount and $7,000 annual tuition credit for full-time students who work 20 hours a week at a KHN facility. The goal is to provide real-world experience while also reducing tuition costs so significantly that students and their families are able to cover at least some, and potentially all of them, without a loan. Students compete for jobs and, once hired, go through the same orientation and training that other employees do. Among other roles, they work as health unit coordinators, patient transporters, and office assistants. As part of its commitment to helping employees grow professionally, Kettering Health Network offers a 30 percent tuition discount at Kettering College for all benefits-eligible employees. In recent years, the number of KHN employees who enrolled in classes at Kettering College has been climbing steadily.

CLINICAL TRAINING FOR STUDENTS

Kettering Health Network is integrally involved in providing hands-on experience for students at the College. In fact, KHN offers more clinical rotations for Kettering College students than any other clinical site. “Whether they are participating in clinicals or working part time at a Kettering Health Network facility, Kettering College students make a substantive contribution,” said Sarah Sparks ’03, a radiology manager in imaging services at KHN.

“Kettering Health Network clinical sites do a great job accommodating Kettering College students and providing them with an excellent clinical educational experience,” said Rob Hoover ’84, associate professor of radiologic sciences and imaging. “Many of the sites employ Kettering College alumni, who as preceptors have the opportunity to act as mentors to the students.”

“An eagerness to learn and perform to the highest level is evident in the Kettering College students we train in clinicals and hire after graduation,” Sparks said. “They bring a fresh outlook on health care and can oftentimes give seasoned staff a renewed joy for their job. They play an important role in fostering a positive, healing environment for the patients we serve.”

About half of 2019 Kettering College grads obtained jobs from Kettering Health Network.

FEATURED

1 | Kettering College, on the left, sits on Kettering Medical Center’s campus, giving students close access to the hospital.

2 | Rachel Noble, a recruiter in human resources at Kettering Health Network, works with a student during a resume workshop.

3 | (left to right) Madison Brandon ‘19, nursing graduate, talks with Jessica Bennett and Missy Moore, both recruiters in human resources at Kettering Health Network.

4 | Interview rooms were set up Kettering College’s gymnasium during the hiring event.

5 | Ben Hotelling speaks with a prospective student during an Explore Kettering event about job opportunities for students within Kettering Health Network.

6 | Jennifer Hejl ‘19, nursing graduate, sits with other students before being interviewed during the hiring event.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Healthcare Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm (April 12, 2019).