Mayor Muriel Bowser teamed up with Bloomberg Philanthropies to mark the opening of the new Ward 8 Advanced Technical Center (ATC) and to start the District-wide health employment program, DC Health Care Employment & Apprenticeship Link (DC HEAL). Supported by a $9.5 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, these initiatives aim to forge paths for high schoolers into burgeoning healthcare careers. “For years, we have been focused on making sure every young person in DC has access to high-quality opportunities that prepare them for success after high school,” Mayor Bowser said in a statement. The ATC, situated at the Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center, broadens Career and Technical Education in the city, endowing students with credentials and clinical experience.
The city’s educational landscape has evolved, with the Ward 8 ATC allowing students from across D.C. to earn both college credits and valuable professional experience. According to Mayor Bowser’s official announcement, students at this center have access to dual-credit college courses and internships in high-stakes fields like health care and cybersecurity. When speaking of the initiative’s aim, Howard Wolfson from Bloomberg Philanthropies highlighted, “This effort builds on our broader commitment to expanding pathways into healthcare — including our $250 million initiative to create new high schools across the country that connect students directly to high-demand jobs.”
The DC HEAL apprenticeship ushers graduates from CTE high school programs straight into health care roles with one-year, full-time apprenticeships. They’re promised hands-on learning, with living wages and mentorship from industry professionals. Launched in August with a cohort of health care employers, the program currently encompasses hospitals, nursing facilities, and health care centers willing to invest in the district’s youth…