City Schools Chancellor David Banks announced Wednesday a new public high school in Queens that will prepare students for careers in healthcare while addressing industry workforce shortages.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, through his Bloomberg Philanthropies, and healthcare giant Northwell Health are helping the city get the $250 million initiative off the ground.
The Northwell School of Health Sciences, set to open in Woodside in time for the 2025-26 school year, will incorporate healthcare job training into a traditional high school curriculum, providing graduating students with the opportunity to get healthcare jobs that have family-sustaining wages.
“It’s a big deal. Because the Northwell School of Health Sciences will integrate healthcare career knowledge and job training with a high-quality high-school experience, preparing all of our students for well-paying jobs,” Banks said. “When students graduate from the Northwell School of Health Sciences, they will be equipped with the skills, credentials and knowledge to take their next steps toward a healthcare career.”
The Northwell School of Health Sciences will serve approximately 900 students at capacity. It is a $250 million initiative supported in part by a $24.9 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Although Northwell is the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York, it is not immune from staff shortfalls that plague the state.
For example, the nursing field continues to suffer a workforce shortage, with only 53% of actively licensed nurses actively working as nurses, according to the NYS Nurses Association. Northwell said New York is projected to face a nursing shortage of almost 40,000 by 2030.
The DOE, along with its partners, are hoping to alleviate the ongoing staff shortage by providing learning at the new school that will qualify students to fill much-needed healthcare positions upon graduation. The curriculum will include 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.
When students reach ninth and 10th grades, they will participate in job-shadowing and practice their skills in cutting-edge simulation labs. Starting in 11th grade, students will have access to paid clinical internships and professional mentoring, among other work-based learning experiences.
Career pathways
According to the DOE, students will gain direct work experience and access to attractive jobs with Northwell, including positions in nursing, diagnostic medicine, physical therapy and behavioral health.
The career pathways were selected based on the availability of entry-level salaries that either offer a living wage or are a stepping stone to living wage positions, growth opportunities, student areas of interest and projected workforce needs at Northwell and in the broader state health system.
“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.”
The Bloomberg investment will support school start-up costs including personnel needs, classroom and lab renovations and other other work-based learning requirements.
“For too long, our education system has failed to prepare students for good jobs in high-growth industries,” said Bloomberg. “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.”
