About Us

To address unemployment, underemployment, and healthcare workforce shortages in the Baltimore region by identifying healthcare career pathways and connecting residents to skilled jobs, leading to economic independence.

Our Mission

Our mission is to address unemployment, underemployment, and healthcare workforce shortages in the Baltimore region by identifying healthcare career pathways and connecting residents to skilled jobs, leading to economic independence.

Our Vision

BACH envisions a healthy community, a strong economic future and an inclusive system that prepares and connects residents to skilled positions in healthcare organizations with workforce shortages in the Baltimore region

History

The Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (BACH) traces its founding to a conversation held on a train back in 2002. Karen Sitnick, then director of the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; Diane Bell-McKoy, then head of the Baltimore City Empowerment Zone; Pamela Paulk, then head of human resources for the Johns Hopkins Health System; and Patrice Cromwell, then program officer with Open Society Institute-Baltimore. While returning from a national forum workforce development, they discussed the challenges and opportunities within Baltimore’s workforce system.

All agreed that the city needed a systematic, employer-led approach to fill critical shortages at Baltimore-area hospitals. Meeting employers’ needs and creating new job and advancement opportunities for lower-skilled workers would require the collaboration of a range of public and private institutions.

“We literally stacked our hands together across the aisle and said we’re going to make this happen.”
Pamela Paulk, former head of Human Relations,
Johns Hopkins Health System

The Need

Healthcare is the largest industry sector in the Baltimore region, and it continues to expand. By 2029, healthcare jobs are projected to grow by 15% over the 10-year period that began in 2019.

There has long been a critical shortage of workers for skilled healthcare positions in hospitals and other medical organizations. At the same time, the poverty rate in Baltimore is over 21%. When more Baltimoreans have access to good jobs and opportunities to thrive, our communities are stronger, healthier, and safer for all.

Since 2005, BACH has helped address these two issues by connecting promising Baltimoreans with the training they need to break into the healthcare field or, for those working within the field, move up the career ladder.

BACH Facts

1,959 Participants Served

88% Enrollees Complete Training

81% of Program Completers Get Jobs

Average Wage at Hire is $17.50

86% of Participants are African-American

Majority of Participants Served Reside in Community Benefits Service Areas

97% of Training Completers Earn Industry-Recognized Credentials

83% of Participants are Female