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Students training nursing techniques

A new report from the (UHERO) emphasizes the crucial role of the UH Community Colleges¡¯ Good Jobs Âé¶¹´«Ã½ (GJH) program in successfully placing residents into high-demand, higher-paying careers. The preliminary analysis by Rachel Inafuku provides more evidence that these targeted training programs are helping families combat Âé¶¹´«Ã½’s persistent, high cost of living.

“Consistent with the , average real quarterly wages for [Good Jobs Âé¶¹´«Ã½] completers were more than $2,000 higher two quarters after program completion than two quarters prior,” the report said. This increase demonstrates how these short-term programs are creating essential earning power.

Higher healthcare earnings

nurse

The most dramatic gains were found among those who transitioned into a new field after training. In healthcare, the largest GJH pathway, participants who switched from non-healthcare industries—such as retail or food services—saw their average quarterly earnings rise by more than $5,500 two quarters after completion. This amounts to an annualized earnings increase of $22,000 for workers entering a sector with sustained high demand due to Âé¶¹´«Ã½’s aging population.

Significant gains for skilled trades

person operating forklift

Similarly, skilled trades completers realized significant wage gains, earning roughly $2,600 more per quarter post-program. Employment patterns for this group also shifted away from lower-wage sectors and toward construction, manufacturing and public administration, aligning with the state’s thriving construction industry and its well-above-average wages.

Smaller increases for tech

Outcomes varied by sector. Technology students—many of whom were mid-career workers with pre-program earnings higher than the average GJH student—experienced smaller wage increases and more modest changes in industry placement.

Read more UH News Good Jobs Âé¶¹´«Ã½ stories

Overall, these findings highlight how post-training earnings trajectories reflect both the specific skills acquired and the broader structure of Âé¶¹´«Ã½¡¯s labor market.

Inafuku said, “As Âé¶¹´«Ã½ continues to face a high demand for workers in critical sectors alongside persistent cost-of-living pressures, workforce programs that align training with industry needs can address both challenges—placing workers in more stable, higher-paying jobs while helping employers meet demand.”

UHERO is housed in UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹¡¯s .

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