ACC, school districts, healthcare leaders launch healthcare academy: Receive $10 million investment from supporters for new academy

AUSTIN, Texas 

     Healthcare employers across Central Texas continue to face persistent workforce shortages in critical roles, from nursing to surgical technology. A new regional model is now training future healthcare workers earlier—where students can start as early as ninth grade and finish high school with a workforce credential.

     Austin Community College District (ACC), in partnership with Hays CISD, Pflugerville ISD, Workforce Solutions Capital Area and Rural Capital Area, along with all the major healthcare systems in Central Texas, launched the Central Texas Healthcare Academy on Monday, May 11, at the ACC Highland Campus.

     “Student success takes all of us. When K–12, higher education, and employers come together, students start earlier, gain real experience, and move into high-value careers with confidence,” said Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, ACC Chancellor. “ACC is proud to help bring that together to connect partners, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and create lasting opportunity. That’s how we care for our students, and it’s how

we build the skilled workforce Central Texas needs.”

     The Central Texas Healthcare Academy is backed by $10 million in investments:

•$6.3 million grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

•$3.2 million in support from Bloomberg Philanthropies

•$740,000 investment from St. David’s HealthCare Foundation to support planning and regional

partnership development

•$300,000 contribution from the High Demand Jobs Training Fund Investment

     “These investments reflect a shared belief that students deserve clearer pathways into high-demand careers and that Central Texas must take a regional approach to building the healthcare workforce,” said

     Dr. Garrett Groves, ACC vice chancellor for Strategic Initiatives. “This is what long-term workforce transformation looks like. ACC is proud to lead the regional infrastructure that aligns education with industry demand, expands opportunity for students earlier, and creates a scalable model for how communities can grow and sustain their own talent pipelines. By working together, more students can move seamlessly from high school into college and meaningful healthcare careers.”

     “We’re proud to support the Central Texas Healthcare Academy, helping students build strong, in‑demand healthcare careers,” said Aliya Hussaini, head of health initiatives at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “Central Texas is where our foundation was founded, and for more than 20 years, we’ve invested here to expand health and economic opportunity. Inspired by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ healthcare-focused high schools initiative and led by outstanding local school districts and employers, this regional partnership lays the groundwork for long-term impact — good jobs and a healthier Austin.”

     “The goal of our healthcare-focused high schools initiative is to create a model that can be replicated and scaled,” said Jenny Kane, who leads the Career and Technical Education portfolio at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “We are so excited to partner with the Dell Foundation on the Central Texas Healthcare Academy to further demonstrate how education systems and employers can come together to create real pathways from the classroom to high-demand healthcare careers. By aligning curriculum, hands-on training, and industry needs, this model not only addresses critical workforce shortages but also ensures students graduate with the skills, credentials, and opportunities to succeed—and it’s a blueprint we believe can continue to be replicated across communities nationwide.”

     The academy is designed in collaboration with regional healthcare partners, including Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health, Central Health, and St. David’s HealthCare, aligning training with real workforce needs across hospitals, clinics, and care systems. Bridging K–12, College, and Industry Students can begin as early as ninth grade, earning college credit through ACC while completing hands-on training aligned with employer needs. Graduates leave with a high school diploma and an industry-recognized healthcare credential, with the option to continue into an associate degree, all at no-cost for tuition for the student.

   “At Hays CISD, our mission is to ensure every student has a clear pathway to success, and the launch of the Central Texas Healthcare Academy makes that mission 100% possible,” said Dr. Eric Wright, Superintendent at Hays CISD. “We are incredibly excited to offer our students this high-level opportunity to earn college credits and real-world training in four critical healthcare fields while they are still in high school. This would not be possible without generous support from The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, St. David’s Foundation, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. By partnering with Austin Community College and Workforce Solutions Capital Area, we aren’t just giving our students a head start on their associate degree, we are answering the call of our community. This academy allows us to provide a homegrown, highly skilled talent pipeline for our local healthcare industry, ensuring our students become the

outstanding professionals who will care for Central Texas for generations to come.”

     “Joining the Central Texas Healthcare Academy is a natural extension of PfISD’s commitment to opening doors for our students,” said Dr. Quentin Shepherd, superintendent at Pflugerville ISD. “Through this partnership with Austin Community College and our regional healthcare community, students can

graduate not just with a diploma, but with real credentials, real experience, and a real future in one of the most in-demand fields in our region.”

Career Pathways

      The Academy launches in fall 2026 with about 560 students from both Pflugerville and Hays

Consolidated school districts already enrolled. Five career pathways are available:

• Professional Nursing

•Diagnostic Medical Imaging

• Surgical Technology

•Health Information Technology

•Paramedic

  Students progress through a structured sequence of courses and training experiences over four years, building toward a credential that can be applied immediately or stacked into further education at ACC.

     “I would be most excited for Surgical Technology because it offers a fast-paced, hands-on environment that I can truly see myself thriving in. I am eager to use my skills to serve my community and contribute

to something bigger than myself,” said Essence Bostick, PfISD student. “After touring Austin Community College in December during my pathways class, I am especially excited about the opportunity to partner with ACC. The program felt very welcoming, and the facilities and learning environment were impressive and inspiring.”

“I am really excited about this opportunity because I feel the program is more focused on what I want to do! Instead of just being in science classes, it is specific to the career I want to do, and I feel that I will be better prepared with this type of focused program,” said Presley Mack, incoming Hays High School student.

      Some students will complete the program with the qualifications needed to enter the workforce. Others can continue into advanced training with ACC to earn an associate degree.

For more information about the Central Texas Healthcare Academy, visit austincc.edu/healthcare-academy.

About ACC:     Austin Community College District is a nationally recognized two-year college serving Central Texas. The college

is focused on student success and building brighter futures through upward mobility. Through collaborative partnerships and innovative learning programs, ACC provides affordable, flexible pathways to help everyone reach their education goals, learn new job skills, or advance their career. The college enrolls almost 80,000 students annually.