South Burlington, Vt. — Aspiring surgical technologists took their first step into careers in health care Friday morning last week, at a ceremony that also celebrated an injection of federal funding that will expand health care careers training across Vermont.

At a signing and welcome event at UVM Health’s IDX Campus, leaders from health care, workforce and government gathered to welcome six surgical technician apprentices, as part of observances celebrating National Apprenticeship Week.

The group is the first cohort of the health system’s Surgical Technologist Registered Apprenticeship Program. The new earn‑while‑you‑learn pathway underscores UVM Health’s commitment to collaborative, grow‑your‑own workforce development strategies that expand access to local training for high-skills health care careers.

The program is intended to be a scalable model for similar training pipelines supporting other clinical roles, such as sterile processing technicians.

“Instead of asking people to take on debt or step away from work to pursue training, we’ve created a pathway that allows colleagues to earn, learn and build a career at the same time — all while contributing to patient care,” said Mary Broadworth, chief human resources officer at UVM Health. “This apprenticeship reflects how our hospitals work together, sharing responsibility and opportunity, and investing collectively in the future of health care.”

The program will train apprentices while they work in surgical settings at University of Vermont Health – Central Vermont Medical Center, UVM Health – Porter Medical Center, and UVM Medical Center. It combines paid employment with classroom instruction and mentored, on‑the‑job learning. Apprentices earn wages and credentials while gaining hands‑on experience in operating rooms, without the burden of tuition costs that often limit access to healthcare careers.

Federal Funds Support Health Care Workforce Development Efforts

The program was made possible by federal funding secured by U.S. Senator Peter Welch, which was awarded earlier this year to JobForward, a partnership between the Institute for American Apprenticeships (IAA) and Training Funding Partners (TFP). UVM Health worked with the group to develop the multi‑hospital apprenticeship model.

“Programs like this apprenticeship matter because they give Vermonters a chance to build fulfilling careers with livable wages while staying right here in Vermont,” said Robin Lunge, policy adviser and outreach representative for Senator Welch’s office. “Strong career pathways are essential to rural sustainability, and this program helps ensure our communities remain vibrant by creating real opportunities for people to grow and succeed in the state.”

Vermont Department of Labor Commissioner Kendal Smith said the new program reflects the core strengths of registered apprenticeship and its growing role in addressing Vermont’s health care workforce challenges.

“Today’s signing represents more than a document — it represents opportunity, partnership and a shared commitment to strengthening Vermont’s health care workforce for the long term,” Smith said. “Registered apprenticeship creates high‑quality career pathways that help people earn while they learn, while giving employers a durable, standards‑based talent pipeline to meet urgent workforce needs. That’s especially important in health care, where workforce shortages affect not just our largest hospitals, but rural communities across the state.”

For the apprentices, the event marked the beginning of an exciting career journey.

“This opens the door for people like me to build a future in health care,” said surgical tech apprentice Kara Johnson. “It’s especially helpful for those who don’t have the means to take on a lot of student debt.” 

University of Vermont Health
40 IDX Drive
South Burlington, VT 05403

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About Vermont Department of Labor

The Vermont Department of Labor helps Vermonters find good jobs, protects workers’ rights, and supports safe, fair workplaces. Our main divisions include Workforce Development, Labor Market Information, Unemployment Insurance, and Workers’ Compensation & Workplace Safety. We work with people and businesses across Vermont so everyone can live well, be safe, and experience meaningful work.

About University of Vermont Health

University of Vermont Health is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.