Rural Workforce Initiative

NCHF, in partnership with Bank of America, is launching a statewide initiative to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce pipeline for Critical Access Hospitals and Tier 1 communities by expanding training opportunities, improving recruitment and retention, and supporting long term workforce stability. Building on existing efforts led by NCHF and NCHA, the initiative will coordinate strategies that prepare students for healthcare careers, increase rural hospital training capacity, and address barriers such as limited career awareness and workforce housing. Through mentorship, skill building workshops, job shadowing and work-based learning, and a focus on shorter training pathways, the program will equip future healthcare professionals while creating a platform for rural hospitals and community partners to share best practices, tackle common challenges, and develop scalable models that can be replicated across the state.