SkillSpring
(formerly known as Geriatrics Career Development Program)
The Next Generation of Healthcare Professionals
Since 2006, the SkillSpring program of The New Jewish Home has supported New York City youth from under-resourced schools in pursuit of careers in health care. SkillSpring is training the next generation of high-quality, culturally competent health care professionals while generating excitement and enthusiasm for career opportunities in health care serving older adults.
Youth participants are fully immersed into the long-term care setting and provide more than 8,000 hours of companionship, activities and clinical care to older adults each year. The comprehensive curriculum trains young people to appreciate and gain a deep respect for older adults.
OUR PROGRAMS
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
(10th-12th grade, 14-19 years old)
The three-year High School Program serves 225 students annually in Bronx housing and the Manhattan division. The High School Program provides college readiness, health career exploration activities, internships, professional/older adult mentors, and clinical training. Youth can graduate with as many as five allied healthcare certifications (e.g., Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Patient Care Technician), allowing them to immediately seek employment and have supplementary income while attending college.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- 887 graduates since 2006
- 99% high school graduation rate
- 94% are currently employed and/or enrolled in or have completed post-secondary programs
- 84% obtain degrees
- 8 graduates enrolled in medical school
- 2 graduate enrolled in Ph.D. programs
- Over 417 internships awarded
- Graduating classes average $1,000,000 in scholarships/aid annually
WHAT THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM OFFERS TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
- Scholarships/Stipend for regularly attending participants
- Paid internship during senior year
- Free certification (Certified Nursing Assistant/Patient Care, Technician), SAT Prep, College Counseling/Trips, and Supper/Snack at each location
- Summer Program
- Academic Tutoring
- Professional development
- Mentors
- Skills training/Clinical Experience
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM:
Please reach out to Nicole Cash, SkillSpring Director, High School Program at ncash@jewishhome.org.
YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM
(18-27 years old)
SkillSpring’s Young Adult Program, was launched in 2014 to address the needs of young people who are out-of-school, unemployed, and faced with multiple barriers. This free three-month program engages, trains, and supports disconnected young adults ages 18-27 to begin meaningful career paths in geriatric healthcare.
Successful participants receive training to become either Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) or certified Home Health Aides (HHAs). Our on-site staff supports participants with case management and referral services. Additionally SkillSpring’s Young Adult program provides on-boarding services, professional development training, one-on-one coaching, and paid internships, as well as no-cost CNA/HHA training and certification followed by an opportunity for employment at The New Jewish Home.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- 263 young adults have graduated from the SkillSpring Young Adult program
- 76% have been hired by The New Jewish Home
- 54% are either enrolled in and/or have completed further education or training programs post-SkillSpring
YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BENEFIT FROM
- Hands-on clinical skills training
- Contextualized professional development
- Paid internship in a skilled nursing facility
- Daily MetroCards
- Allied healthcare training (CNA/HHA)
- One-on-one coaching
- Motivational professional speakers
- Long-term employment opportunity
- Transitional support for alumni
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Are you interested in a career in healthcare?
Are you an NYC resident between the ages of 18-27?
Are you out of school & unemployed?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, contact us at GCDAlumni@jewishhome.org
or apply here.
ALUMNI (WORKFORCE PROGRAM)
Both the High School Program and Young Adult Programs feed into SkillSpring’s Alumni Program, which offers support to SkillSpring’s Alumni in meeting their academic and career goals. Services include ongoing check-ins and tracking, career services, direct connections to professional opportunities at The New Jewish Home, and referrals to outside resources such as free trainings, and professional development programming. Individual sessions are also provided on request to resolve personal issues, to establish and support educational goals, and to support Alumni in marketing themselves and obtaining employment.
All SkillSpring Alumni benefit from the following free services
- Resume and cover letter guidance
- Application assistance (work & college)
- Interview preparation
- References and recommendations
- Support with FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Direct access to employment opportunities at The New Jewish Home
- Referrals to employment & educational opportunities
- One-on-one life/school/career-planning sessions
- Volunteer/internship/shadowing opportunities at The New Jewish Home
- Public speaking opportunities
- Network-building and mentoring
- Alumni events and workshops
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ALUMNI PROGRAM:
Contact
GCDAlumni@jewishhome.org
Although I did not end up in the medical field, the SkillSpring program paved a path for me, it gave me a direction to follow and the resources to use when following that direction. Most importantly, the program provided me with a lifelong family.
My advice to current SkillSpring students would be to take advantage of the opportunities offered to you in SkillSpring, college, etc. that will help better prepare you for your future career and engagements. Go out and volunteer, get a better understanding of what your interests are and indulge in activities that will help you grow as a better individual. Do not try to be like anyone else but yourself!”
I am thankful for being a part of the SkillSpring program. This was the first time I started working with residents, volunteering on the floors and having an Elder Mentor. I used to always want to do something when I was on my floor, and tried my best to take initiative. A few years later, I now have the opportunity to work with the Elders and ensure they have the best care possible. The SpringSkill Program showed me that dreams are possible, and it only takes time, dedication, and motivation.
My first teacher, seeing my academic potential, tutored me at her home. I excelled academically ever since. Ms. Villa died before I could thank her, supposedly due to a misdiagnosis. By then I had said I wanted to be a doctor; that took on new meaning after her funeral. I won’t be a doctor, for money, or for people to respect me- I will be one to help people stay alive.
I want to thank the SkillSpring staff for advocating for me & believing in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. Ever since I started putting in an effort, doors have been opening for me. I have the confidence & communication skills to solve problems & work well with others, I have interview skills I need, & I have more experience. I never expected myself to work in the medical field- now I have goals of becoming a Registered Nurse, maybe even a Doctor.
It was such a privilege to be able to work as an Intern at The New Jewish Home. It was amazing; I was able to get along with the staff & the elderly people & interact with them. Now they feel like family to me. I’ve gained lots of experience & it warms my heart to be able to help others; this brings me joy. The staff members were great supporters when times were difficult for me & I wanted to quit & give up. They encouraged me to stay & were confident in me that I was able to complete the program. Even my co-workers whom I worked with saw this potential in me.
In March 2025, New York State Senator Cordell Cleare proudly showcased our SkillSpring program in Albany during a Senate Session, sharing how the program is both addressing the healthcare workforce shortage and changing lives by training high-school students and young adults to become certified nursing assistants and guaranteeing job placements. Please watch Senator Cleare’s compelling commendation of SkillSpring on the Senate Floor.
Listen to this inspiring testimonial from Christopher (Chris) Kelly-Davis, a proud graduate of The New Jewish Home’s SkillSpring program. His amazing journey is a powerful reminder that with the right support, young adults can overcome hardships and achieve success.
SKILLSPRING BLOG
PIX 11 Visits Manhattan Campus to Learn About SkillSpring (formerly known as Geriatrics Career Development Program)
PIX 11 reporter Greg Mocker visited our Manhattan campus earlier this week to learn about SkillSpring, our hands-on healthcare workforce training program. The program provides career development opportunities for underserved young people and offers an immediate solution to the acute workforce shortage at aging services organizations. READ MORE.
SkillSpring Featured on CBS 2 News
CBS 2 News featured Francisca Fadairo, a remarkable high school senior in our High School Program. For the past 15 years, The New Jewish Home’s groundbreaking workforce development program has provided underserved high school students with allied health care certifications, college preparation, and invaluable experience caring for older adults. Instead of closing SkillSpring when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we actually hired our SkillSpring participants so they could continue to receive hands-on training and gain firsthand experience working on the front lines as health care heroes.
City and State New York Opinion: Training the future health care workforce today - New York faces a historic demographic shift. According to a recent report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City’s 65-and-older population reached 1.43 million in 2023 – a 53% increase from 2000, growing almost 17 times faster than the city’s total population. In Manhattan and Queens, nearly 20% of residents are over 65 years old. Statewide, nearly 3.5 million residents are now over the age of 65, the largest share in New York’s history. To care for our older New… …Read More
Crain’s New York Business Op-ed: How to solve New York’s health care staffing crisis – Nicole Cash - New York’s health care system is caught in a paradox. We face an ongoing workforce shortage, specifically in senior care, while largely failing to provide career pathways into health care for young adults from underserved communities. In New York, nearly 3.5 million residents are over the age of 65 — and that population is growing faster than any other group. Skilled nursing facilities are faced with two overlapping crises: severe staffing shortages and an epidemic of loneliness among their residents.… …Read More
The New Jewish Home Celebrates New Graduates of SkillSpring Workforce Development Program - Launched by The New Jewish Home in 2014, the SkillSpring Young Adult Program creates pathways for economic mobility for underserved individuals to enter the workforce NEW YORK, NY (January 23, 2025)—SkillSpring, a workforce training program created by The New Jewish Home (TNJH) celebrated the graduation of its young adult cohorts on Wednesday. Since its inception, SkillSpring has trained over a thousand individuals, fulfilling critical staffing needs in skilled nursing facilities throughout New York City. Today, 43 participants were recognized for… …Read More
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SKILLSPRING PROGRAM: Contact Nicole Cash, SKILLSPRING Director, at (212) 870-5042 or ncash@jewishhome.org .
120 West 106th St, New York, New York (map view)
FUNDERS
The New Jewish Home and SkillsSpring are grateful for the funding provided by:
| Foundation & Individuals | Government |
| Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bruce J. Heim Foundation Carl Marks Foundation Danny Bernstein Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Hagedorn Fund The Heckscher Foundation for Children J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation Lisa Lippman Metzger-Price Fund, Inc. The Moriah Fund, Inc. The New York Community Trust The Pinkerton Foundation Shapiro-Silverberg Foundation Solon E. Summerfield Foundation UJA-Federation of New York Wilf Family Foundation |
The City of New York
New York City Council Member Shaun Abreu New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams New York City Department for the Aging New York City Department of Business Services New York City Department of Education New York City Department of Youth & Community Development New York City Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development New York State Child and Adult Care Program New York State Department of Labor New York State Senate, with the support of State Senator Cordell Cleare |