Furthering Your Education
The Pathfinder Program is available to all University of Vermont Health employees to support them in entering a Pathway Program to advance their career. Employees begin taking prepaid preparatory courses, prerequisites and corequisites through Community College of Vermont (CCV) to prepare them for a Pathway Program.
This program is made possible through a partnership with CCV and is funded in part by a generous grant from M&T Bank.
Employees who are accepted into the Pathfinder Program will receive up to four prepaid vouchers. These vouchers can be used towards pre-selected courses with CCV.
A selection of nine identified class options will be offered in partnership with CCV. Participants can access courses online or in-person. Options consist of preparatory courses, prerequisites and corequisites all of which are intended to support employees in pursuing a UVM Health Pathway Program.
Pathway participants will need to be prepared to apply to a UVM Health Pathway Program, however participation in Pathfinder does not guarantee admission into future UVM Health Pathway programs or at any educational institutions.
Successful candidates for this program must:
- Be employed by and be in good standing at a UVM Health partner with “favorable performance.”
- Currently work full-time, at least 72 scheduled hours per pay period.
- Part-time employees may be eligible if funding and seat availability allows for additional participants; per diem employees are not eligible.
- Meet all requirements of and be accepted by both UVM Health and CCV.
- UVM Health Applications Open: April 1 of each calendar year
- UVM Health Application Deadline: May 1 of each calendar year
- UVM Health Cohort Selection: June 1 of each calendar year
You will need to collect the following items in advance and then upload them to complete and submit your application:
- Letter of Interest: Why are you interested in a career in health care? Please share what your health care goals are and why you are interested in a Pathway Program.
- Letter of Recommendation: Provide a letter of reference from a non-family member who can speak to your desire to enter the health care field and your ability to be successful in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Employees maintain their current working schedule while participating in the program. Classes are in addition to work hours and that time is unpaid.
- Anatomy & Physiology I
- Anatomy & Physiology II
- Human Growth & Development
- Intro to Nutrition
- Microbiology
- Applied Mathematics
- English Composition
- Psychology
- Fine Arts/Humanities Elective
Pathfinder is primarily grant-funded. Tuition, fees and textbooks will be paid in full by grant funds. Additional financial aid may be available using federal or state aid.
Ongoing course voucher availability is based on available funding and employee participation.
If a participant is not successful in a prepaid course (they withdraw, fail, etc.) and needs to retake a course, they may do so, but they would need to redeem another course voucher, counting towards their four prepaid courses.
Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
There may be recourse to recoup the funding of prepaid coursework should someone not meet this requirement. Situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Participants may not take more than two prepaid courses per semester.
All vouchers requested must be redeemed within two academic years.
Employment is an eligibility requirement for the Pathfinder Program. Applicants must currently work full-time, at least 72 scheduled hours per pay period. Part-time employees may be eligible if funding and seat availability allows for additional participants; per diem employees are not eligible.
Part-time employees may be eligible if funding and seat availability allows for additional participants; per diem employees are not eligible.
Possibly, depending on the timeframe and your grades and the UVM Health Pathway Program that you intend to pursue. CCV will review the courses and grades on your transcript and meet with you.
The amounts paid under this Program have tax implications. Amounts that are paid to your educational institution for tuition, fees, books, supplies or other expenses constitute payments under an educational assistance program described in Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code and are therefore excludable up to $5,250 per calendar year. Amounts paid in excess of $5,250 per year are taxable income and are subject to applicable withholding taxes.
These taxes will be withheld from your regular earnings, resulting in a reduction to your usual paycheck. To avoid unforeseen hardships, the reduction should be planned for, and if necessary, additional funding sources such as loans should be sought.
Please consult your personal tax advisor, as UVM Health cannot provide you with individualized tax advice.
Call 800-722-9922 and choose option 3 to talk with one of our talent acquisition partners about full-time job opportunities!
Questions?
Please contact:
Rebecca Aldrich, Workforce Development Program Manager or Megan Foster, Workforce Development Program Manager