Forest Hills, Queens - Plaza College bridging the gap between hospitals, urgent care centers, and the shrinking skilled workforce

FOREST HILLS, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, November 8, 2018, an Allied Health Career and Job Fair was held at Plaza College, a four-year private college located in Forest Hills, Queens.   The fair brought healthcare companies of all sizes to the campus for a chance to meet directly with local graduates and Queens job seekers.  Organizations such as Affinity Health Plan, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, CityMD, E Central Medical Management, EMU Health, Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Inc., Mount Sinai, Flexstaff for Northwell Health, NYC Department of Social Services, NYU Langone, ProHealth Care, St. John Episcopal Hospital, Strategic Level Consulting Group, The Child Center of NY, and TSINY were in attendance. 

The Queens Chamber of Commerce, which has an advisory committee of hospitals and healthcare organizations on trends and industry needs, co-sponsored the day-long event.  The Chamber's Executive Director, Thomas Grech, welcomed exhibitors and attendees.

"Being the Executive Director of the Queens Chamber has opened my eyes to the workforce needs of Queens businesses.  Healthcare is the single largest employer by industry in the Borough, and these organizations provide fantastic opportunities for recent graduates to begin their careers.   I can tell you that the hospitals, urgent care centers, doctors' offices, and other healthcare organizations in Queens are all experiencing ongoing growth, and the Chamber is proud to partner with Plaza College in building lasting workforce partnerships."

The current unemployment rate in Queens is less than 3.5%.  As the economy continues to rise, this number will only continue to fall, making it more and more difficult for companies ? especially those with a healthcare focus ? to find skilled works to staff their organizations. Institutions, like Plaza College, that offer clinical-based programs are leading the charge in assisting with bridging this gap. 

"I have been having real difficulty locating qualified professionals to fill the 14 open positions we currently have," stated Dr. Erik Ilyayev, CEO of Strategic Level Consulting Group.  "Today, I was able to meet with over 100 candidates." 

"Dr. Erik," as he is known to Plaza students, is a medical professor at Touro College and also founded Strategic Level Consulting Group, which caters to assisting healthcare institutions with hiring needs.  According to Dr. Erik, "There is a huge shortage of qualified medical assistants entering the workforce, and I'm extremely pleased with what Plaza and the Queens Chamber did to promote our industry's needs today." 

Plaza College is a 102-year old institution with Schools of Allied Health, Business and Technology, Dental Sciences, and Legal Studies.  The College's associate and baccalaureate degree programs are career-focused and designed to assist students in preparing for the current demands of the NYC workforce.  Plaza is the longest running member of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, which was founded two years before Plaza in 1914.  

Media Contact:
Brittany Travis
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SOURCE Plaza College