We Need Help Now: How Two Ohio Partners are Helping to Fill Critical Health Care Roles

In a Unique Program, Ohio Virtual Academy and Orion Institute Are Equipping Today’s High School Students with Skills and Immediate Job Placement for Much Needed Health Care Roles Throughout the State

MAUMEE, Ohio & PERRYSBURG, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), an online public-school program serving over 22,000 students across the state, and Orion Education Group (OEG), via Orion Institute, have announced a collaboration to help train tomorrow’s health care leaders today.

In this unique relationship, OHVA students who participate in the school’s Health Care Pathway will be equipped with the necessary vocational skills to seamlessly transfer into Orion’s School of Allied Health and Wellness. Students can earn certificates in Medical Billing & Coding, Medical Assisting, and Massage Therapy, and save on tuition while still enrolled high school.

Orion staff will teach students directly as part of the ongoing OHVA pathway. Over 60 students have signed up to participate already.

In addition to gaining advanced standing in their programs, students will have access to resources such as Orion’s Career Services department which will help facilitate the job search process while students are enrolled and after graduation.

“We’ve all seen how hard America’s health care staff have worked these last few years, and we know there are a record number of job openings as we speak,” said Dr. Dale Dan, VP of Global Growth and Development of Orion Education Group USA. “Orion and OHVA will give students the right skills and then help them get the right jobs, filling those much-needed roles and bringing some relief to America’s health care heroes.”

According to some estimates, over half a million health care jobs remain open across the country, with nearly 5,000 in the Columbus region alone.

The combined program includes Orion’s Ethics Course including its ‘Joy-at-Work’ component that helps create transformational leaders who can positively impact the individual, the organization, as well as society as a whole. Each graduate will earn a Joy-at-Work Certificate & Lapel Pin for the Young Leader at the end of their training.

“Skilled workers, filled jobs, and happy students – this is really a Win-Win for education in Ohio,” said Dr. Kristin Stewart, Head of School at OHVA. “We’re so happy to work with Orion on this and look forward to our next generation of health care leaders.”

An online public-school program, OHVA is available tuition-free to students in grades K-12 who reside most anywhere in the state. Many families and students choose OHVA because it provides an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar education.

About Orion Education Group (OEG)

Orion Education Group (OEG) and its member institutions; Orion Technical College (Davenport, IA) and Orion Institute (Perrysburg, OH), have helped train graduates for Technology, and Allied Health, careers for over 50 years. Orion’s Academic Agility^TM provides an academic environment for all learners by offering courses online, in a hybrid model, or on-campus*. For more information, please visit www.orion.edu.

*Not all programs are offered online, hybrid, on-campus, or at each location. For complete information regarding program availability contact Orion directly at [phone]

About Ohio Virtual Academy

Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) is an accredited, full-time online public charter school authorized by the Ohio Council of Community Schools (OCCS) that serves students in grades K through 12. As part of the Ohio public school system, OHVA is tuition-free and provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about OHVA, visit ohva.k12.com and follow on Facebook.