Bringing Industry Employers Together to Collaborate on Workforce Skills
Portland, Oregon – October 27th– The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) proudly hosted its 2023 Employer Summit on October 19, 2023. The annual event, held online, was a convergence of academic program leadership, career services professionals, and employers, fostering collaboration and innovation in the field of integrative health and wellness education.
“The ACHS Employer Summit provides employers with the opportunity to help shape curriculum so our students develop essential workforce skills that will distinguish them in the workplace. It is critical that employers and education institutions work together to promote a skilled workforce for the high-demand jobs of today and for the future,” shares ACHS President Tracey Abell.
The primary objectives of this year’s summit were to:
- Forge Meaningful Connections with Industry Experts: ACHS aimed to establish valuable relationships with leading experts in the holistic health field, ensuring that the institution remains at the forefront of industry developments.
- Gather Feedback on Industry Trends: A key focus of the summit was to elicit feedback on the latest trends and insights within the industry. This information will serve as a crucial foundation for advancing ACHS’s curricula, program offerings, and overarching goals.
- Develop Career Success Pathways: A significant outcome of the summit was the creation of actionable pathways for student and alumni success in holistic health careers. These pathways are designed to equip ACHS students with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their chosen field.
Throughout the event, ACHS heard from distinguished experts from the holistic health industry, who provided valuable data and insights to better prepare ACHS students and alumni for employment opportunities in this thriving sector. ACHS is proud to have partnered with esteemed companies that attended the summit, and we trust that their experiences and expertise will greatly benefit our students.
Felicia Royce, ACHS’s Director of Career & Alumni Services had this to share, “I was thrilled to learn pertinent employer needs from so many experts and leaders in the integrative health field at the 2023 Employer Summit. It is important to glean what qualifications and skills employers are looking for in our ever-changing occupational landscape. Holistic healthcare professionals coming together to network and share ideas in the holistic healthcare field is powerful and paramount.”
Key topics of discussion at the 2023 Employer Summit included in-demand skills such as understanding the regulatory framework for dietary supplements and what they can and cannot say in a retail environment, digital literacy and the ability to find and discuss evidence-based integrative health information, and soft skills including effective communication, ability to work independently, and customer service skills. Employers also discussed recruitment strategies and how they leverage their network on platforms like LinkedIn to fill open positions, emphasing the importance of networking for professional success.
This year’s distinguished panelists, listed in alphabetical order, included:
- Ashley Rieger from The People’s Apothecary
- Carrie Turpin from The Green Eyed Cat
- Christi Louderback from Natural Grocers
- Christine Alstat from the Eclectic Herb Institute
- Erin DeLacy from Natural Grocers
- Kayla Fioravanti from Ology Essentials
- Mark Blumenthal from American Botanical Council
- Meredith Murdock from the Faeve Apothecary
- Mindy Green from Green Scentations
- Mohammad Umaid from Al-Fateh Institute of Health Sciences
- Nicole Hodson from the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP)
- Paul Johnson from Wildish Botanicals
- Shamoneak Gibson-Thomas from Krazy Essentials
- Shawn Hallum from Freedom Spas
The 2023 Employer Summit proved a resounding success, uniting ACHS’s academic leaders with top industry experts and forward-thinking employers. ACHS remains committed to empowering its students and alumni with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed for a successful and fulfilling career in holistic health.
For more information about ACHS and its future initiatives, please visit www.achs.edu.
About ACHS:
The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS), located in Portland, Oregon, is an accredited college specializing in online holistic health education. Founded in 1978, ACHS offers a range of certificate, diploma, and degree programs in complementary alternative medicine disciplines. ACHS is dedicated to providing exceptional online education based on evidence-based research, with an emphasis on sustainability and global stewardship.
For questions about this press release or to learn more about customized professional development for your practice or organization, please contact Tracey Abell at president@achs.edu.
