MADISON — SSM Health is recruiting high school students for a paid apprenticeship program across its hospitals and clinics in Wisconsin that will offer valuable hands-on experiences while providing a pathway to rewarding careers in health care.

The Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program offers high school juniors and seniors enrolled in related courses industry-recognized completion certificates for their work in one of eight health care career areas, which include: " Medical Assistant " Medical OfficeAssistant " Phlebotomy Assistant " Medical ImagingAssistant " Nursing Assistant " Physical Therapy Aide " Medical Lab Assistant " Pharmacy Assistant “Health care offers many rewarding career paths, and we are delighted to welcome these young people into our hospitals and clinics to experience these important roles for themselves as we seek to help train a new generation of exceptional caregivers in the communities we are privileged to serve,” said program coordinator Sandy Riley.

Those selected for the oneyear program are required to work 450 hours and can elect to begin their apprenticeship in the summer or at the start of their fall semester. SSM Health hopes to interest 50 students to apprentice throughout the 2024-25 school year within its care teams throughout its hospitals and clinics in Wisconsin.

Interested students and their parents can learn more about the available apprenticeships and apply online at the SSM Health Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program page.

The apprenticeship program is led by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and is offered in collaboration with: the Dane County School Consortium in Greater Madison, Southwest WI Workforce Development Board, Inc. in Green/Rock Counties and the Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA 3) in Iowa County, (CESA 5) in Sauk County and (CESA 6) in Greater Fond du Lac, as well as a host of area high schools.