In Minnesota, the demand for workers in long-term care (LTC) keeps growing. At the same time, thousands of New Americans — people born outside the U.S. and their children — are eager to build stable careers but face linguistic, cultural, and economic barriers that keep them from accessing healthcare jobs.
To bridge this gap, South Central Service Cooperative (SCSC) partnered with Minnesota Council of Churches (MCC), Mankato Adult Basic Education (ABE), Blue Earth County Employment Services (BECES), MetaMedicsVR, and CILC to launch an innovative program that turns obstacles into opportunities.
Institutions and training centers that collaborate in practical and safe learning.
Many New Americans dream of becoming Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), phlebotomy technicians, or medical assistants, yet they struggle to access training.
Key barriers include:
This results in untapped talent and an essential sector facing a severe workforce shortage.
The program combines technology, social support, and career guidance across three main pillars:
Covering critical needs such as transportation, housing, childcare, and technology.
Powered by MetaMedicsVR, training leverages virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and mobile apps to make learning engaging and accessible.
Bilingual training includes:
breaking barriers to stable, well-paying healthcare jobs.
VR and AI make mastering medical English and technical skills more motivating and effective.
boosting self-sufficiency for New Americans while strengthening the sustainability of the LTC workforce.