Pioneer of Apprenticeship Degrees Steps Into Healthcare
A recent article from Work Shift focused on Reach University’s expansion into health care through the Apprenticeship College of Health (ACH). This isn’t a departure from the work already being done at Reach, but rather, a next step.
Reach is building on what it has learned from Reach Teacher College (RTC) and extending its work-embedded approach into behavioral health in Washington through a partnership with the Training Fund.
Building on what Reach has learned
Through RTC, Reach has built degree pathways designed around working adults, real-world learning, and workforce needs. That work has shown that when learning is connected to daily work and structured to reduce financial barriers, more people can access pathways into professions their communities rely on. ACH extends that approach into behavioral health.
Why Reach is starting with behavioral health
The move into behavioral health is a calculated next step, based on partners' needs, workforce demand, and early evidence that the model can extend beyond teacher preparation.
Looking ahead, Reach sees this work as an opportunity to continue building practical pathways in a high-need field and expects to train at least 1,000 people in behavioral health apprenticeships in the next five years.
