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Workforce Development Institute
The SNLC Workforce Development Institute (WDI), launched in FY25, builds on SNLC’s peer-to-peer learning model by promoting collaborative initiatives in recruitment and hiring, workplace culture and wellness, workforce training, and career advancement. Together, these strategies strengthen recruitment, retention, and career pathways across SNLC member health centers.
MA Training Program
The SNLC MA Training Program is the first major initiative of the Workforce Development Institute, designed to expand medical assistant training for member health centers and establish shared training approaches across health centers while sharing resources to promote the program’s success.
The pilot program (September 2024–April 2025) engaged 9 SNLC member centers as Externship Organizations (EOs) in partnership with the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA). EOs hosted and trained 26 students in an eight-month hybrid program that combined online academics with a 240-hour in-person externship.
Brian Ramirez (he/him)
MA Training Program Manager
Email: bramirez@esperanzachicago.org
Each EO designated key personnel:
Program Coordinator(s) – managed daily operations
Site Facilitator(s) – oversaw Skills Labs
Preceptors (MAs) – supervised and mentored students during externship shadowing
Additional guidance for Program Coordinators was provided by SNLC’s MA Training Program Manager, introducing a collaborative approach to program oversight.
Pilot Results:
22 graduates (85% graduation rate) with an average GPA of 3.9 (above NIMAA’s national average of 3.69)
High satisfaction ratings: 83% (students), 89% (preceptors), 84% (coordinators)
50% of graduates received employment offers during the pilot hiring period
Participant Feedback:
“What I found valuable was meeting the workers and finding comfort knowing that we come from the same roots, so it felt nice knowing that we are all similar. everyone felt very welcoming and all seemed true to themselves I really liked that”
“I appreciated observing professionals in their roles, receiving constructive feedback, and gaining insight into daily operations and expectations within the field”
“One aspect I experience most valuable is hands on learning, it has helped me gain confidence when speaking to patients and also I've gained skills in working as a team with my preceptor”
The second cohort is now underway as of April 2026.
Staff Engagement Survey
As part of the Workforce Development Institute’s focus on staff wellness and workplace culture, SNLC launched its first collaborative-wide employee engagement survey in FY25. This tool provides a shared method for assessing and benchmarking staff wellness and satisfaction across member centers.
The pilot survey was developed by a volunteer committee of HR and leadership staff from participating centers. Seven centers participated, collecting 775 responses between January and February 2025. Results were shared both with individual centers and collaboratively, following SNLC’s principles of transparency and mutual learning.
Based on the pilot year’s success, the survey was updated and offered collaborative-wide. Seven centers participated with 433 responses collected between January and February 2026. Results were analyzed and shared at a dedicated Staff Engagement Learning Event in April 2026 to inform strategies for improving workplace culture across SNLC centers. A dashboard comparing FY25 and FY26 data was shared with centers to help inform center and collaborative-wide initiatives.
Liv Ainsworth(she/they)
Operations Consultant