Supporting collaborative, region-wide efforts to create pathways to employment opportunities in the healthcare sector that foster economic stability for those struggling to make ends meet.
Advancing health equity in Central Texas requires a thriving, diverse, and locally rooted healthcare workforce capable of addressing both individual and systemic barriers to health in the region. Central Texas faces a rising number of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), making it increasingly difficult to meet current and future healthcare demands.
These workforce shortages are deepening health disparities, particularly in communities with the greatest needs. At the same time, they represent missed opportunities for individuals in those same communities to access career pathways in healthcare—pathways that can lead to economic mobility and long-term stability. Collaborative, region-wide efforts are needed to grow and strengthen the healthcare workforce and to ensure that career pathways that hold promise for economic stability are accessible.
Driving Impact
By 2030, St. David’s Foundation aims to increase the number of Central Texas students— both traditional and nontraditional—graduating from healthcare certificate and degree programs that lead to economically stable careers.
We are committed to expanding opportunities for students from historically marginalized communities by supporting collaborations across workforce development programs, employers, philanthropy, and education pipelines. We seek to build a stronger, more representative healthcare workforce while advancing economic mobility and community health. Ultimately, we envision a Central Texas where career opportunities and community well-being grow hand-in-hand, especially in areas with the greatest health needs.
Approach
St. David’s Foundation’s approach centers on supporting service delivery and developing capacity for regional infrastructure to support Central Texans—particularly those from historically marginalized communities—to enter financially stable healthcare careers.
Through data-driven investments in programs, we will grow the region’s ability to train, support, and connect individuals to high-demand healthcare roles. We will also support the capacity of Central Texas educational institutions, healthcare providers, employers, and community organizations to build a seamless and sustainable employment pipeline through cross-sector collaboration.
These efforts are rooted in a belief that strengthening the healthcare workforce can advance economic opportunity for individuals, well-being for local communities, and a more equitable, sustainable healthcare ecosystem for Central Texas.
