The Akron Children’s Hospital Academy of Health and Human Services at North High School is an innovative career development program that offers students educational and hands-on experiences in healthcare operations, early childhood education, biomedical science and allied health.
Developed in 2017 through a partnership between Akron Children’s Hospital and the Akron Public Schools (APS), the goal of the academy is to expose students to careers at Akron Children’s, from jobs they can do right out of high school, to professions that require certifications or a college degree. Some of these careers include supply chain management, child life specialist, biomedical engineering, sports medicine, laboratory, and interpreting services.
In addition to their classroom studies, students in the academy participate in non-clinical and clinical experiences through simulations, student job shadowing, and hospital presentations at the school. Akron Children’s also provides in-kind supports such as internships, teacher externships, white-coat experiences, expert speakers, and other programs.
In 2022, this agreement with APS was extended for another 3 years, and has expanded into a partnership with Jennings Middle School, a part of the North High School educational cluster. Akron Children’s has also begun partnering with APS on a criminal justice pathway partner at Ellet High School with support from the hospital’s Public Safety team.
To learn more, contact Thomas Jefferson, the career academy liaison, at tjefferson@akronchildrens.org.
