SEIU Education Fund: Empowering Healthcare and Property Service Workers Through Comprehensive Training Programs

The SEIU Education Fund (Ed Fund) and SEIU Leadership Training and Education Fund are dedicated to providing comprehensive education, training, and career advancement opportunities for SEIU members and their communities. With a focus on addressing critical needs in the healthcare and property services industries, the Ed Fund offers a wide array of programs designed to enhance skills, promote equity, and ensure a sustainable future for workers. The SEIU-UHW, in particular, provides full-circle education opportunities for both members and their loved ones.

Addressing the Healthcare Worker Shortage

California is facing a significant shortage of healthcare workers, with projections indicating a need for 500,000 new professionals in the next decade. The SEIU-UHW recognizes this challenge and is actively working to bridge the gap by providing tuition-free education opportunities to members, their friends, and family. This initiative aims to cultivate the next generation of caregivers and ensure that the healthcare sector has a diverse and skilled workforce. The Ed Fund is committed to equity and inclusion through expanding opportunities for career advancement and skill building to develop a diverse talent pipeline that reflects our communities’ needs.

Career Pathways: Accelerated Programs for Allied Health

For SEIU-UHW members and other eligible individuals, the Ed Fund offers career pathway programs through Futuro Health. These accelerated online programs are designed to quickly qualify participants for key positions in allied health, regardless of their current career stage. The need for allied healthcare workers has become even more pressing. These programs offer career counseling and training opportunities, helping SEIU-UHW members explore career possibilities, obtain certifications, and access tuition and fee reimbursements - all at no cost.

Education Fund Benefits for Members

Eligible SEIU-UHW members can access a range of benefits through the Education Fund, designed to support their professional growth and development. These benefits include:

Critical Skills Development

The Ed Fund offers various courses and programs to enhance essential skills, including:

Read also: A Guide to SEIU Tuition Benefits

Computer Classes: Develop proficiency in computer applications and technology.
Medical Terminology: Learn the language of healthcare for effective communication.
Foundational Math/Science: Strengthen fundamental knowledge in these key areas.
Online Soft Skills Courses: Enhance interpersonal and professional skills.
Critical Skills Webinars: Participate in focused online sessions to gain specific skills.
Language Programs: Improve communication skills in different languages.

Continuing Education

The Ed Fund supports members in maintaining their professional licenses and certifications through:

CEU Classes: Continuing education seminars and workshops to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Certification & Licensure Reimbursement: Financial assistance for renewing licenses or seeking specialty certifications in their current field, with up to $1500 in annual reimbursement for continuing education, membership fees, conference and seminar costs.

Job-to-Job Support

For workers facing layoffs or reductions in force (RIF), the Ed Fund provides:

Reimbursement of up to $5,000 for costs associated with attending an accredited training program.
Wage replacement for time spent attending the training program, up to 500 hours.

Career Advice and Counseling

The Education Fund’s Career Counselors empower, motivate, educate and prepare workers who want to advance their careers.

1-on-1 Career Counseling: Personalized guidance to identify and achieve academic and career goals.

Education and Advancement Opportunities

The Ed Fund supports members in pursuing higher education through:

College Courses: Support for General Education classes and prerequisites.
Fully Funded Career Pathway Programs: Certificate and degree programs to accelerate careers in healthcare.
Tuition Support: Reimbursement of up to $5250 for tuition, textbooks, and fees.
Wage Replacement: Up to $10,000 to supplement income loss due to reduced hours for study, school, or clinicals (available for KPNW, LHS, PPCW only).

Property Service Workers Programs

The SEIU Education Fund also focuses on the needs of Property Service Workers. The mission is to develop quality education and training programs that raise standards for property service work. The programming offered to Property Service Workers is customized specifically to the needs of these workers. With a presence in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio, the offerings are continually being refined based on the ongoing and expanding needs of workers. The primary current programs include the Green Janitor Health Certification Program and Sexual Harassment Prevention Training.

Expanding the Green Janitor Program: Empowering Janitorial Teams for Sustainable Building Practices Nationwide

The SEIU Education and Support Fund has partnered with Building Skills Partnership and SEIU local unions to expand the groundbreaking Green Janitor program. This program, initially developed in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council-California, features a curriculum addressing energy and water efficiency, waste management, and worker health and safety. Pilot courses have been completed in Seattle, Portland, Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, and Minneapolis.

A Closer Look: The Green Janitor Health Certification Program

The Green Janitor Health Certification Program empowers janitors to advocate for healthier workplaces and sustainable practices. Janitors in multiple cities seek to expand the ground-breaking Green Janitor program as part of their effort to build respect for their work and be part of the response to the climate crisis.

Sustainability: How Building Owners Benefit

Building owners benefit in supporting expansion of Green Janitor programs through reduced energy and water costs, as well as empowering janitors to participate in the goals of the LEED rating system.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recognition

The SEIU Education Fund was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a 2024 Safer Choice Partner of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes efforts to promote the use of safer chemicals and environmentally responsible cleaning practices that protect workers, families, and communities. The Safer Choice program, an EPA initiative, certifies products that meet stringent human and environmental health criteria. Through the Green Janitor Health Certification Program, ESF has trained over 300 SEIU janitors across six states, educating them on the importance of choosing safer products with the Safer Choice label.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Sexual harassment and assault are all too common in the janitorial industry, which relies on primarily female and immigrant workers. ESF partnered with SEIU Local 49 to develop a 2 hour training course for Oregon janitors that meets State of Oregon mandates and is designed to educate, train, and empower workers to identify and respond to sexual harassment and assault.

Keep it Green, Clean and Safe

Property Service Workers clean and disinfect the built environment including residential and office buildings, as well as public spaces like airports and retail establishments. These workers are primarily people of color, immigrants and women. Their work is often low-paid, contingent and insecure.

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy

The SEIU Leadership Training and Education Fund admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to its students.

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