Advocate Christ Medical Center celebrates workforce development

Investing in the success of all team members is a key priority for Advocate Christ Medical Center and Advocate Aurora Health. On Thursday, March 7, 44 team members graduated from the NAVIGATE Program.

NAVIGATE is a new training and development program that
helps clinical and non-clinical team members (who are not in a leadership
position) identify goals, create a career map, build skills and expand their
professional networks. Throughout the four- to six-month program, team members
attend workshops related to goal setting, communication, effective problem
solving, critical thinking, managing stress and conflict resolution. They work
directly with recruiters on revising their resume and identifying opportunities
that match their skillset and interest.

Advocate Christ Medical Center President Matt Primack
thanked the inaugural class of Advocate Christ Medical Center NAVIGATE
graduates for their commitment to excellence within themselves and the
organization.

“Thank you for believing in yourself. Thank you for
committing to yourself and to your development. Thank you for trusting us and
this program. I am confident that you will have a launch pad now to excel and
to take the next step in your career with Advocate Aurora Health,” he said.

Through the NAVIGATE Program, team members work directly
with the mentors and recruiters to research different positions within the
hospital and the healthcare field. Through this research, one graduate not only
found her true calling but also obtained a new job a week prior to graduation.
For the past seven years, Lauretha Wood has worked as a pharmacy tech and most
recently in the general store. While she enjoyed the work, she realized that
she was really looking for an opportunity to work directly with patients.

“When I learned about the NAVIGATE program, I realized that
I could stay here and further my career. Through research and really thinking
about what I enjoy doing, I came to the conclusion that community health was
something that interested me,” said Wood.

During a workshop, Matt Primack gave advice to the team
members that really resonated with Wood.

“Matt said that now was the time to be selfish, to think
about yourself. That’s what I did and it really panned out. It takes a lot of
work to think about who you are and what you want to do. I realized that I
didn’t have to stay in one spot in order to elevate myself. And it’s great to
be able to elevate yourself and stay at the same facility.

By investing in herself, Lauretha started a new position as
a community health coordinator one week prior to graduation. In her new role,
Lauretha works directly with patients and connects them with resources such as
food, transportation, housing, etc.

“I’m so glad that I went through the program. It was a
rewarding experience,” said Wood.

Another graduate, Diane Castillo, who has worked in EVS for
the past five years, was thinking about making a change when she learned about
the NAVIGATE Program. Through the program, Diane learned about two fields that
interested her and the schooling necessary for each.

“The recruiters are great. I was provided the tools that I
needed to make a decision and move forward,” she said.

In January Diane enrolled in Moraine Valley Community
College and is working on earning a degree in health information management.
She’s still working full time in EVS and going to school.

“The tools that I learned in NAVIGATE, such as critical
thinking and how to deal with stressful situations, has really helped me stay
focused as I juggle work and school,” she said. “I highly recommend the
program.”