From high school graduates finding their first foothold in health care professions to longtime employees advancing into higher-paying careers, UC’s academic health centers are helping Californians access opportunity and create lasting change. 

Through Anchor Institution Mission programs across its academic health centers, UC is investing in people and communities that have faced barriers to economic growth. By connecting job training, hiring and local business partnerships, UC’s health teams are strengthening the economic roots of communities – because when Californians have pathways to good jobs and financial stability, they and their families and neighborhoods are healthier too.

Providing career and educational pathway opportunities for young Californians

One UC anchor institution initiative is UCSF’s ER Tech Training Program. 

This UCSF program provides an accessible opportunity for young people to gain valuable experience and skills that can serve as a step toward becoming a nurse, physician assistant or physician.

Victor C. is one of many success stories from the program. When he was a high school senior, he knew he wanted to be a nurse. Still, he recognized that he would need to improve his ability to communicate with patients confidently and effectively to succeed in his career. 

While participating in the Oakland Unified School District’s Alumni Highway to Work: ER Tech Program, with support from UCSF and local health care and training organizations, he not only received the support he needed from preceptors to improve his communication skills, but he also practiced the technical skills and critical thinking necessary for all health care professionals.

 “I got more than [I could have hoped for] from the program,” said Victor C. “What made the program unique was that you are a high school graduate doing real work in an emergency department. I cannot name another program where you can showcase your personal growth and skills directly in front of hiring managers in this capacity.”

The 10-week Highway to Work program provides training for high school graduates who are not immediately attending a 4-year college and includes hands-on experience of 20 supervised shifts in a hospital setting. ER techs often earn higher entry-level pay, especially when their training includes certification in phlebotomy (the process of drawing blood).

After completing the program in 2022, Victor C. continued his training and certifications in electrocardiogram (EKG) testing and phlebotomy. “Because I had a working relationship with the people in the emergency department, I was able to get [about an] additional 100 hours in EKG training at Parnassus (UCSF’s Parnassus Emergency Room, Mission Bay Emergency Room, Center for Science, Education, and Outreach)."

Victor completed the general education requirements and prerequisites for nursing school and is currently studying to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. After graduation, he hopes to work as a critical care nurse at UCSF Health, where he completed his ER tech training.

Since 2019, UCSF has been a leader throughout the UC system with its early adoption of an anchor mission. 

By strategically and intentionally leveraging its business operations, UCSF will strengthen its overall impact on health and improve its economic strength – alongside achieving excellence in research, education and patient care.

Through the Anchor Institution Mission, UCSF and community partners collaborate to increase the economic security and opportunity for disadvantaged San Francisco Bay Area populations by leveraging UCSF’s workforce development, procurement, and community investment resources.

“Upskilling” creates opportunities for current UC employees

As a custodian in the Environmental Services department at UC San Diego Health for the past eight years, Mae Valdehueza dreamed of moving into a more fulfilling career with greater earning potential. 

She never imagined she’d be preparing instruments for critical surgeries. But that’s what she’s currently learning to do through a new sterile processing and distribution technician (SPD) training program offered by UC San Diego Health.

Valdehueza was one of 10 current UC San Diego Health employees who were chosen for the program, which is provided through a partnership between UC San Diego Health and San Francisco-headquartered Jewish Vocational Service Bay Area, a nonprofit working to close opportunity gaps in employment.

“I have learned that the success of surgeries heavily depends on how well the equipment works and how critical of a role an SPD tech plays in that process,” Valdehueza said. “I saw this opportunity as a golden light to learn a new skill and advance my career in a meaningful way. It was really fantastic – and life-changing.”

The program helps service workers who were earning some of the lowest wages at the hospital gain a higher level of skill and work as sterile processing technicians. “There are thousands of pieces of equipment, and it’s our job to make sure they are all functioning correctly, are sterilized and ready for the next surgery. It’s rewarding to know I’m doing meaningful work,” Valdehueza said.

Monica Redmond, talent acquisition manager for UC San Diego Health, said the training program focuses on the “inside up” method, which creates career pathways for existing employees. “Together with JVS, we have made significant strides in creating meaningful job opportunities that will help our dedicated employees excel.”

UC San Diego Health, as an anchor institution, is committed to investing in the community's well-being through local hiring.

This means providing career pathways into and within UC San Diego Health, which offers its employees monthly workshops, which include topics like application and resume tips, interviewing tips and networking.

Supporting small businesses and developing economic opportunities

Other anchor institution programs are fostering economic opportunities for small- and medium-sized businesses by helping them access contracts and bids for valuable work in the communities in which UC’s health system operates.

With a focus on local investments and hiring, UC Davis recently hosted its fifth annual Supplier Expo to support Sacramento-area businesses and connect owners with health and other University departments that purchase products and services from the community. The program is designed to demystify the sometimes-complex process of doing business with large organizations.

Kayla Cruz, a local artist and entrepreneur, attended the event to explore what opportunities might arise. “The Supplier Expo was an eye-opening and incredibly informative experience,” she said. “It’s already opened new doors into the world of commercial opportunities, something I never imagined stepping into.” It was a first step toward establishing meaningful partnerships and relationships that could potentially elevate her business.

Participants from a wide range of businesses were able to meet with representatives from UC Davis Health departments such as Facilities, Food and Nutrition, Experience Design, Parking and Transportation, Plant Operations and others.

Annie Reyes-Salgado, the executive director of UC Davis Supply Chain and Contracting Services and one of the expo’s organizers, said that “as an organization, we’re one of the top employers in the region, so it’s important for us to give back and serve the communities, to uplift them,” she said.

Stay tuned for information about the sixth annual Supplier Expo in 2026.

UC Davis Health’s anchor institution strategy has identified three key areas to target:

• developing the local workforce, including its own employees,

• supporting small, locally owned businesses, and

• investing in activities that directly contribute to improving the lives of those living in under-resourced communities.

Read more about their anchor institution strategy.

About UC’s Anchor Institution Mission

Anchor institution strategy is a national, broad-based framework that supports mission-driven organizations in addressing economic and social factors that can impact health, create economic opportunities and build stronger communities. UC’s academic health centers engage in the anchor institution framework through a systemwide approach, informed by community input and cross-system collaborations, that promotes better health through community-driven workforce development, economic opportunities, and procurement and investment strategies.

About University of California Health

University of California Health comprises six academic health centers, 21 health professional schools, a Global Health Institute and systemwide services that improve the health of patients and the University’s students, faculty and employees. All of UC’s hospitals are ranked among the best in California and its medical schools and health professional schools are nationally ranked in their respective areas.