Your Path Forward resources support, train, and champion employees personally and professionally
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Quality healthcare is often defined by the quality of care administered by staff in medical and nursing home settings. To ensure Jewish Home employees are providing the best care — in addition to feeling empowered and supported — leadership has been elevating employee programs and resources over the last decade.
The array of offerings are gathered collectively under the name Your Path Forward, and the resources have resulted in not only a supportive work culture but also strong staff recruitment and retention programs.
“What began as strategic initiatives are now proven Your Path Forward programs,” said Christine Van Vessem, senior vice president human resources and quality at Jewish Home. “We have essentially created an academy of offerings to support, train, and champion employees personally and professionally.”
Listed on the JewishHomeRoc.org website on the “Careers” page, the career-accelerator and job-training programs align with Jewish Home’s mission for employees to feel valued and appreciated and given a chance to make a difference in the lives of others every day.
The workplace development programs range from entry-level on-the-job training to executive leadership coaching. The roster of resources include tuition reimbursement, healthcare certifications, English-language lessons, and mental-health programs.
“We needed to continue to think outside the box to attract and retain talent, particularly in the aging service industry and one strategy was seeking non-traditional applicants to fill frontline positions,” Van Vessem said.
Among the non-traditional candidates were refugees, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
A program launched in 2018 was already on that path, with Project SEARCH introducing young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to careers in aging services — a successful partnership between Jewish Home and Christian Heritage Services.
More Jewish Home partnerships have since evolved to introduce jobs and careers in aging services to juniors and seniors at East High School and, starting this year, culinary students at Monroe Community College. Other training opportunities include home-health aide training through Finger Lakes Community College, an on-site internship for teens of the Jewish faith, and a Job Path program for veterans and refugees.
Your Path Forward employee resources and programs
Job Training Opportunities:
· Project SEARCH
Job and employment training for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
· Project East
A 15-week aging services career exploration/internship program for juniors and seniors of East High School
· Project Kesher
Four-week summer internship offering aging-services career exploration for Jewish teens
· Job Path Program
Access to job training and life skills support for refugees, veterans, and individuals with disabilities
· Project Culinary (Coming 2026)
Aging-services culinary internship for community college and/or adult education culinary students
Career Accelerator Programs:
· Job & Professional Skill Building
Department-specific skills and career advancement discussions/planning
· Career Ladder Program
Formal program to support Jewish Home employees seeking job and career advancement within their department
· Nursing You
Designed to assist Jewish Home employees navigate a path toward a career in nursing (RN, LPN, CNA, HHA, PCA)
· Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP)
A six-week onsite training program to achieve NYS certification as a nursing assistant
· Home Health Aide Training
In partnership with Finger Lakes Community College, we have offered a three-week training program onsite to achieve NYS certification as a home health aide
· Personal Care Aide Training
An onsite two-week training program approved by NYS DOH to achieve NYS certification as a personal care aide
Life Skills & Wellness Support:
· UR Medicine Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
A comprehensive system of professional-level support for employees
· Inclusive Workplace Communication & Academic Tutoring
ESOL and ASL instruction
· Financial Wellness (Coming 2026)
Classes to assist employees with the fundamentals of financial well-being and planning for the future
· Employee Wellness First Aid (Coming 2026)
Training to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges and crisis
· Employee Grocery Store
On-campus store, open 2x/month, offering basic fresh and frozen food items free to eligible employees
Leadership Development Programs:
· Preceptor Development Program (Coming 2026)
Professional and skill development classes for employees promoted to a level II position within the Career Ladder
· Enhanced Leadership Program
A professional and leadership development course for supervisors, managers and directors
· Nursing Leadership Program
Formal group sessions focused on best practice leadership and management specific to nursing
· Executive Leadership Coaching
Coaching/consulting sessions for senior leaders to build and maintain strategic talent
· Northstar Network Healthcare Business Academy Fellowship
High potential employees are selected to participate
· Leading Age & Leading Age NY Leadership Academy
High-potential employees are selected to participate