Hawaiʻi’s first high school health learning lab marks milestone for workforce training

Gov. Josh Green and Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi marked the opening of Hawaiʻi’s first public high school health learning lab at Waiʻanae High School on Oʻahu, a milestone in building a stronger, locally trained healthcare workforce.

“As a physician and governor, I know firsthand how valuable it is to invest in our local healthcare workforce,” said Green in a Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i release. “It’s inspiring to meet students at Wai‘anae High School who are preparing for careers that will strengthen our healthcare delivery system and create meaningful, fulfilling work for the next generation.”

The governor met with students at the O‘ahu high school to tour the lab, getting one of the first looks at the new, state-of-the-art facility that includes a simulated hospital and long-term care bay, phlebotomy station and clinic exam room.

It gives students hands-on experience in real-world healthcare settings.

And the initiative comes at a critical time for the state.

Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i’s 2024 Hawai‘i Healthcare Workforce Initiative Report found that the islands have nearly 4,700 healthcare job openings, including more than 1,700 entry-level roles.

Health learning labs are designed to address this gap by prepping students for immediate employment upon graduation.

Two classrooms at Wai‘anae High were transformed into a 3,195-square-foot modern learning environment. The integrated classroom and lab design allows students to build clinical and administrative skills in a setting that mirrors actual healthcare facilities.

“Before having this new facility, it was hard for us to fully imagine what working in this kind of environment would look like,” said aspiring future nurse Wai‘anae High School junior Jyzamee Sablan in the release. “The lab changed how I see my future in the medial field and it motivates me to work harder.”

Students enrolled in Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i’s Patient Service Representative program will use the simulated clinic to train in four roles: patient service representatives, certified nurse aides, medical assistants and phlebotomists.

The Wai‘anae lab is the first site in the broader ‘Aulama I Ke Ola initiative, a multi-year effort to create a best-in-nation network of health learning labs throughout Hawaiʻi’s public high schools, focusing on underrepresented communities.

“We’re not just thinking about the next year or even the next 5 years,” emphasized Healthcare Association of Hawai;i President and Chief Executive Officer Hilton Raethel in the release. “We’re building a local, sustainable pipeline of healthcare professionals for decades to come.”

Wai‘anae is one of 18 public high schools participating in Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi workforce programs, guiding students from classroom learning directly into their first healthcare jobs.

The initiative combines facility upgrades, workforce training, industry certifications and personalized student support to create a seamless pathway from education to employment.

“This innovative learning space strengthens the career-focused education opportunities currently available in our public schools and creates a clear pathway for students who want to build careers right here in Hawai‘i,” said Hawai‘i State Superintendent of Schools Keith Hayashi in the release. “We hope to replicate this model with many other industries.”

The new lab was made possible through funding from Hawai‘i Legislature and in partnership with Hawai‘i Department of Education and Hawai‘i 3Rs.

It represents a public-private collaboration across government, education, health care and philanthropy made possible by contributions from First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, G70, Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i, Kaiser Permanente, The Henry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, University Health Alliance Health Insurance and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawai‘i.

Visit the Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i website and follow the association on Facebook, X and Instagram for additional information about the organization and its initiatives and work.