NEW YORK — Northwell Health and New York City Public Schools have formed a partnership to design a career-focused high school that will help prepare students for well-paying careers in healthcare and address local education and healthcare talent needs. The Northwell School of Health Sciences will fully integrate healthcare career knowledge and job training with a high-quality, well-rounded high school experience for students in New York, graduating students directly into high-demand healthcare jobs with family-sustaining wages.
The school in Woodside, Queens which will open in the fall of 2025 and serve approximately 900 students at capacity, is part of a first-of-its-kind $250 million initiative led by Bloomberg Philanthropies that is connecting healthcare and education systems to create new career-connected learning high schools in 10 urban and rural communities across the country in locations including: Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Durham, NC; Houston, TX; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Demopolis, AL and Northeast TN (six locations) The schools will collectively serve nearly 6,000 students at full capacity.
[Photo above: NYC Public Schools Chancellor David Banks and Northwell President and CEO Michael Dowling. Credit: Northwell Health]
Supported by a $24.9 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Northwell Health, and New York City Public Schools will co-develop the high school curriculum, which will offer robust academic programming, specialized healthcare classes, work-based learning, and the opportunity to earn industry-valued credentials and certifications along with traditional high school learning and diplomas. As Northwell is the largest private employer in New York State, this initiative will create high schools offering students an opportunity to gain direct work experience and access to attractive jobs with Northwell immediately following graduation. This includes nursing, diagnostic medicine (including lab technician & technologists), physical therapy, and behavioral health (including social work). These pathways were selected based on the availability of entry-level salaries that either offer a living wage or are a clear steppingstone to living wage positions, growth opportunities within each position, student areas of interest, and projected workforce needs at Northwell and in the broader New York health system.
“For too long, our education system has failed to prepare students for good jobs in high-growth industries,” said Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP and the 108th mayor of New York City. “By combining classroom learning with hands-on experience, these specialized health-care high schools will prepare students for careers with opportunities for growth and advancement. America needs more health care workers, and we need a stronger, larger middle-class –and this is a way to help accomplish both goals.”
“New York City public schools are training our young people today for the jobs of tomorrow,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Healthcare workers showed us, especially during the pandemic, that not all heroes were capes, many wear scrubs. Thank you to Bloomberg Philanthropies, Northwell Health, and the Department of Education for investing $25 million to create a brand new pipeline in Woodside for 900 public school students to enter the workforce, save lives, and become the next generation of healthcare heroes.”
New York City is home to both the largest public healthcare system and the largest school district in the U.S. The city has 750,000+ healthcare workers, and the sector represents 20% of the city’s economy; each year the district educates approximately 900,000 students across its five boroughs. New York is projected to face a shortage of almost 40,000 nurses by 2030. To keep its economy strong, and to ensure New Yorkers have access to high quality healthcare and living wage jobs, the city needs innovative, integrated solutions linking education to strong workforce outcomes.
“We are very grateful for this opportunity to work with Bloomberg and our partners in the New York City Department of Education,” said Michael Dowling, President, and CEO of Northwell. “What we plan to build together in Queens is bigger than just one school – it’s a visionary collaboration to improve public health and promote health equity in this city and beyond. This is a new model for education that will create a better future for thousands of students and make a lasting impact on the future of healthcare for countless more. As the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York, Northwell remains committed to attracting and preparing more students for careers in healthcare that we need now and for our future.”
“It is paramount that we give our young people the bright starts that will lead them to bold futures, and this new school is a consummate example of reimagining the student experience,” said David C. Banks, Chancellor, New York City Public Schools. “This venture is a tremendous example of the way that public-private partnerships bridge gaps and build gateways to opportunity for our young people. New York City Public Schools continues to grow stronger as we stand with industry partners who share a collective groundbreaking vision, and fearless conviction. We are grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for their support in this effort.”
The Northwell School of Health Sciences will give every student the opportunity to receive industry-standard training, credentials, and college credits toward entry-level healthcare credentials and jobs, take advantage of industry-standard training facilities, and engage in career mentorship and co-teaching from one of New York City’s premier healthcare providers as part of this innovative partnership. New York City Public Schools envisions that the unique design of this high school will lead to system-wide improvements in healthcare-specific programming. This includes the development of a brand new pathway for New York State with Behavioral Health, serving as a training ground for healthcare-focused school leaders, counselors, and teachers, as well as provide a training hub for students across the city to use state of the art technology and join for events.
Northwell Health was the first anchor employer partner for New York City Public Schools in support of FutureReadyNYC. FutureReadyNYC is a reimagined high school experience where across every grade, students get access to work-based learning (including paid experiences in upper grades), early college credit, and industry credentials in high-wage, high-demand industries and support to build a strong postsecondary plan to accelerate their success and path to rewarding careers and economic security. As a part of their anchor partnership, Northwell is committed to providing career exposure, project-based learning, and paid-internships to students at four schools. Northwell representatives also chair the healthcare Pathways Advisory Commission, supporting New York City Public Schools in building curriculum and program design across the city.
