Pathways & Priorities in California’s Healthcare Workforce
Insights from Black Women and Latinas
California’s healthcare workforce shortage demands urgent action—and equity must be central to the solution. Workforce capacity is not only about filling vacancies; it is about ensuring that education, training, and advancement pathways are clear, affordable, and aligned with the realities of the communities most ready to serve.
The Core Problem
“California’s healthcare workforce shortage is not just a staffing issue—it is an equity issue. Who has access to training, paid pathways and advancement determines who can serve our communities.”
Black women and Latinas bring deep commitment to caregiving and community health, yet remain significantly underrepresented across many healthcare professions in California. Too often, they encounter barriers at every stage of the education-to-career pipeline: limited early exposure, complex and inconsistent transfer pathways, high training costs, seat caps in impacted programs, unpaid or inaccessible internships and workplace conditions that make persistence and advancement difficult—especially for women balancing work and caregiving responsibilities.
What the Research Reveals
“Interest in healthcare careers is strong among Black women and Latinas. What’s missing are the supports that turn interest into credentials, careers, and long-term leadership.”
In partnership with Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), BWOPA commissioned EVITARUS to conduct qualitative and quantitative research to better understand the aspirations, experiences, and priorities of Black women and Latinas pursuing—or considering—careers in healthcare. The findings are clear: interest in healthcare careers is strong, and women recognize these roles as vital to their communities. What is missing are the supports and systems that turn interest into credentials, credentials into careers, and careers into long-term leadership.
The Solutions Are Clear
“Paid training, flexible pathways, clear transfer routes, and culturally responsive mentorship are not extras—they are essential to building a stable healthcare workforce.”
Participants consistently identified practical, scalable solutions that would strengthen workforce pipelines and improve retention, including:
- Paid, hands-on training and apprenticeship pathways that reduce financial strain
- Flexible education and clinical schedules that reflect real work and caregiving demands
- Clear and strengthened transfer and degree pathways aligned with workforce needs
- Wraparound financial supports that address the true cost of participation, including childcare and transportation
- Culturally responsive mentorship and career navigation to support entry, persistence, and advancement
Why It Matters
“Investing in Black women and Latinas strengthens healthcare access, improves outcomes, and builds a workforce ready for California’s future.”
These findings present a compelling opportunity for policymakers, philanthropy, educational institutions, healthcare employers, and workforce leaders to act in alignment. Strategic investments in equity-centered workforce development can expand access to care, improve health outcomes, strengthen economic mobility, and stabilize California’s healthcare system—particularly in regions facing the most acute shortages.
This report offers a roadmap for action. By investing in the talent already present in our communities and removing structural barriers to participation and advancement, California can build a healthcare workforce that is prepared, representative, and resilient.
Partner With Us
Building a stronger, more equitable healthcare workforce requires collaboration across policy, philanthropy, education, and industry. BWOPA ONE, in partnership with Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), invites policymakers, funders, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and workforce leaders to partner with us in advancing equity-centered solutions—from paid training and mentorship pipelines to policy reform and regional workforce investments. Together, we can remove barriers, expand opportunity for Black women and Latinas, and strengthen healthcare access and outcomes for communities across California.
LaNiece Jones
State President & CEO, BWOPA ONE
In partnership with Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), BWOPA ONE is committed to advancing equity-centered healthcare workforce pathways so Black women and Latinas can enter, thrive, and lead—strengthening care for communities across California.
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