Healthcare Talent & Workforce Development in Southeastern North Carolina

NC Health Talent Alliance

• Vision: A sustainable, robust healthcare workforce across North Carolina through public‑private partnerships, ensuring providers have access to skilled talent and fostering healthy communities. 

• Mission: Tackle healthcare workforce shortages via regional, employer-led talent pipelines by:

  • Recruiting and retaining healthcare talent.

  • Responding to demand in nursing and other professions.

  • Filling training gaps.

  • Supporting trainees to completion.

  • Assisting employers in enhancing retention.

  • Scaling pilot programs statewide for long-term solutions.

New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership

• Bolstered by a $22.3 million grant from the New Hanover Community Endowment, this collaborative, including UNCW, CFCC, NHCS, and the Wilmington Chamber, focuses on expanding local training programs, improving retention, and building a resilient healthcare talent pipeline in New Hanover County. 

NC Health Talent Alliance Approach

• Employs the Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) framework from the U.S. Chamber Foundation.
• TPM Regional Managers establish local employer-led collaboratives that provide real-time demand data, allowing for targeted recruitment and retention strategies.
• Regional teams track workforce data, partner with education/training providers, and collaborate statewide to address barriers and share learnings.
• The 2025 toolkit enhances student-employer engagement, structuring connections to support licensure, placement, and retention.

NHHCP Strategy

• Supports students from as early as 5th grade through college, including scholarship funding, housing aid, mentorship, pathway programs (e.g., Try Teal, Coastal Community Healthcare Fellows).
• Works with education partners to boost nursing graduation and retention in the local workforce.
• Encourages employer-program synergy via UNCW, CFCC, NHCS, and Chamber collaboration, enhanced by substantial grant investment.
• Integrates regional employers, delivering internships and RN education tracks such as “Bridges to Healthcare” and “Upward Mobility.”

These partners support research, policy alignment, educational pathways, and regional workforce coordination.

• Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research

• N.C. Institute of Medicine (NCIOM)

• NC Chamber Foundation

• NC Center on the Workforce for Health

• NC Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC)

• South East AHEC (SEAHEC)

This collaboration brings together leading healthcare professionals from Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, and Pender counties. Key representatives in this local initiative include:

• Chair, Dr. Umar Bowers, Dawson Med

• Vice Chair, Amy Akers, Novant Health

• Kate Inman, Dosher Memorial Hospital

• Cheryl Andrison, Liberty Healthcare

• Tim King, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare

• Alexis Hunter, Wilmington Health

Healthcare employers play a critical role in shaping the future workforce, and the Wilmington Chamber makes it easy to get involved.

How to Participate
Employers can join regional collaboratives organized through the NC Health Talent Alliance and the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership. Participation typically involves:

• Attending collaborative meetings several times a year.

• Sharing workforce demand data to inform training programs.

• Offering opportunities for student engagement, such as job shadows, internships, or pipeline-to-hire programs.

What You Gain

• Access to real-time workforce data collected through the U.S. Chamber’s Talent Pipeline Management® framework.

• A voice in aligning local curricula at CFCC, UNCW, and New Hanover County Schools to ensure graduates are prepared with the skills you need.

• Recruitment and retention support through programs that connect you directly with emerging healthcare talent.

To learn more, contact Dr. Steven Hill at hill@wilmingtonchamber.org.

The Wilmington Chamber is committed to building a healthcare workforce pipeline that starts early, ensuring students in New Hanover County are exposed to career opportunities long before graduation. By collaborating with schools, colleges, and employers, we help young people connect their education to in-demand careers like nursing and healthcare.

Key Student Pathway Initiatives

• Career & Leadership Development Academy (CLDA)
  Launched in 2022, the Chamber’s Academy introduces 7th grade students in New Hanover County Schools to career pathways, leadership skills, and local industries. Healthcare is a key focus area, alongside other in-demand sectors.

• Health Science Academies in NHCS
  Beginning as early as 5th grade, students now have access to health science exploratory classes, hands-on learning, and simulation tools—building awareness of healthcare careers from middle school through high school.

• Bridges to Healthcare (Novant Health)
  In partnership with the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership, Novant Health provides summer internships for 11th and 12th graders, giving students real-world exposure to clinical careers.

• Try Teal Program (UNCW & CFCC)
  A seamless transition program that allows Associate Degree Nursing students at CFCC to begin RN-to-BSN coursework at UNCW tuition-free, supporting continued education and local retention.

• Coastal Community Healthcare Fellowship
  A scholarship and mentorship program that supports nursing students through college and provides two years of post-graduation support, encouraging them to stay and work locally.