DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds walked through a Broadlawns Medical Center facility on Thursday to view how a 2023 grant has helped expand apprenticeship opportunities.

Iowa Workforce Development approved a $2.3 million grant in 2023 for Broadlawns to launch the state’s first Registered Nurse Apprenticeship. Currently there are 80 students in the program, and dozens more in the other two offered by Broadlawns.

“We’ve invested nearly $16 million into innovative health programs focused on health careers, which has enrolled more than 380 apprentices across our state, with nearly 100 projected to complete certification by the end of the year,” said Gov. Reynolds (R).

After touring the facility Reynolds spoke about the benefits of the program and plans for expansion in the future.

“One of the things we did last legislative session was to pull and put into a workforce opportunity fund and we were able to stand that up with about $30 million once we get the sign off from D.C. to actually access it, which we hope will come soon,” said Reynolds.

That $30 million was pulled from the unemployment compensation fund to use in workforce development.

A student spoke about how spending a year in this program has enlightened him to what is possible for him in the health care industry.

“So, while I have been working in the ICU I am also taking classes at DMACC getting my pre-reqs knocked off,” said Ramaun Ford, an ICU Health Care Tech at Broadlawns Medical Center. “And eventually, who knows, I thought about becoming a PA or an NP or something else along those lines because there is no reason to stop if I don’t have a limit.”

Gov. Reynolds did not take questions after the event about the recount in Iowa’s First Congressional District or who would potentially fill the Lt. Governor position left vacant by Adam Gregg several months ago.

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