UNITE-LA convened more than 60 K-12 districts, higher education, workforce and employer partners in January for a Lunch & Learn spotlighting the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative's newly released health care workforce report, marking the largest community of practice session to date. The event highlighted key labor market insights and featured a panel of higher education and health care leaders who shared real-world perspectives on workforce demand, clinical placement challenges and the need for stronger alignment across education and training pathways.

The report highlights a critical issue in which health care jobs are growing across the region, but too many students, especially those from historically underserved communities, are not successfully entering or advancing through available pathways. It identifies gaps between education supply and workforce demand, fragmentation across credential pathways (from non-degree to advanced degrees) and limited access to work-based learning and clear navigation supports that help students transition into careers.

The report also outlines actionable strategies to strengthen the talent pipeline, including aligning K-12, community college and university pathways; expanding work-based learning and clinical access; improving advising and career navigation; and building more coordinated, cross-sector systems. The Lunch & Learn session reinforced that no single institution can solve these challenges alone, and that progress will require shared accountability and sustained collaboration to ensure students can access and succeed in high-wage, high-purpose health care careers aligned with regional workforce needs.

Slides and a recording are available here.

For more information on the Advisory or L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative activities, please reach out to Andrew Giang, Manager, Postsecondary Systems & Policy, at [email protected].