DOVER, Del. — To address nurse staffing challenges impacting state-operated facilities, the State of Delaware is implementing an innovative tuition incentive program to enhance the recruitment of Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) in the state’s workforce starting December 1, 2023.

Following a public request for proposal process, Delaware’s Department of Human Resources has selected three agencies to train CNAs, with the State covering the tuition cost for CNA candidates of up to $3,000 per student. The three training facilities selected are: Bear Professional Institute, Inc, the Delaware Skills Center, and Sussex County Vocational Technical School District. The program provides a pathway for individuals with some nursing experience to obtain certification while securing employment with the state.

The State operates four healthcare facilities at the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Department of State (DOS), including the Delaware Psychiatric Center, the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, the Delaware Veterans Home and Stockley Center. These facilities provide medical services to senior citizens, veterans, and residents with severe mental health and physical disabilities.

“With Delaware experiencing the same nurse staffing challenges as every other state, we are offering this first-ever tuition incentive to attract more state employees to serve as certified nurse assistants,” said Claire DeMatteis, Secretary of the Department of Human Resources. “With certified nurse assistant vacancy rates of 40-50% in our state-operated healthcare facilities, it puts additional pressure on licensed and registered nurses in these facilities. With this new tuition incentive, along with signing and retention incentives for all types of nurses in our state facilities, we are investing significant state resources for the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable residents.”

Participants are required to commit to working with the state for two years following their certification. DHR is pursuing a similar tuition incentive plan for licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

“I work for the State of Delaware because it’s a dynamic organization with plenty of professional development opportunities, great health benefits and a family-oriented culture. The educational opportunities provided have given me the knowledge to better understand the residents and deliver quality care. With hard work and determination, you can advance your career while working for the state,” said Hannah Sackey, a dedicated CNA currently serving in the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill.”

Once certified, CNAs receive a state salary of $34,000 along with a comprehensive compensation package, which includes health benefits, retirement benefits, paid time off, learning and development opportunities, employee assistance programs, recognition programs, and employee discounts.

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply for current nursing assistant job opportunities (Job Code-UDCD01) at one of the four state-operated facilities through the Delaware Employment Link at https://statejobs.delaware.gov/. For questions, please contact Germaine Harris, Nurse Recruiting Manager at 302-255-9148 or Germaine.Harris@delaware.gov.

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DOVER, Del. (May 19, 2023) – The Delaware Tree Stewards, housed under the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Program, is offering a four-session training, geared toward participants living in both New Castle County and Sussex County, Delaware. Participants will be equipped with skills to be able to work with neighbors, organizations and local public agencies within their own communities to organize and lead tree planting projects, assess new potential tree planting sites, care for existing tree canopy and access a variety of technical and financial resources to support their endeavors. This training will be provided by Craig Highfield, Forests Program Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and Heather Titanich, Community Forester for the Delaware Center for Horticulture. The training covers topics including:

• Tree biology & health
  Discussion of anatomy and physiology of trees and how they interact with soil. This session provides the foundation to understanding how trees grow and react to challenges of urban and suburban planting sites.

• Site assessment & tree selection
  Right Tree for the Right Space. This session will go over the steps to properly assess the growing conditions of a planting site and tools to help you select the trees that will grow best at that site.
• Proper planting techniques
  Planting a tree properly and providing tree maintenance is essential for a successful project. Various planting techniques will be covered to address the challenges of urban sites and the care needed in order to help the new trees be established.

• Maintenance & tree care

• Organizing community plantings events
  Discuss how to bring together your site assessment, tree selection, planting requirements and other logistical elements into a comprehensive plan.

Throughout the year, the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program offers a four-part training and certification program that joins together a group of passionate volunteers from across the state, as they cover tree science, tree care techniques, and project development. The dates and times of each session are as follows:

Sessions with Craig Highfield, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

• June 5 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.
• June 7 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.
• June 12 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.
• June 14 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.

All four sessions will be held virtually. Register here: allianceforthebay.org/TreeStewards

Sessions with Heather Titanich, Delaware Center for Horticulture

• June 8 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.
• June 13 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.
• June 20 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.

All three sessions will be held at 1810 N Dupont St, Wilmington DE 19806, DCH Founder’s Room. Register here: https://thedch.org/events/?eid=14135

Tree Stewards Volunteer Event

• June 25 | 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. – Banning Regional Park, 102 Middleboro Rd, Wilmington DE 19804

Delaware Forest Service Urban Forestry Coordinator Kesha Braunskill remarked, “Delaware Forest Service is happy to have our partners assist with providing such an important program to citizens in Delaware who are interested in learning how to keep our community trees healthy. We hope that more people will take an interest in becoming certified Delaware Tree Stewards so that we can continue to grow Delaware’s tree canopy.”

Launched in Fall 2020, the Delaware Tree Stewardship program connects Delawareans to their landscapes through the acts of planting and caring for trees. Delaware Tree Stewards is an excellent opportunity to connect with experts and learners alike. By completing training and networking with other stewards, graduates will be able to recognize opportunities and coordinate tree projects where they are needed most. Visit de.gov/treestewards to find out how you can get involved!

About the Delaware Center for Horticulture
The Delaware Center for Horticulture cultivates greener communities by inspiring appreciation and improvement of the environment through horticulture, education and conservation. Founded in 1977, the Center’s headquarters in Wilmington’s Trolley Square is an oasis in the city. As DCH’s Community Forester, Heather Titanich works to sustain a safe and equitable tree canopy across Wilmington. This involves coordinating tree plantings, securing sources of funding for tree care, and educating the public about the importance of trees in the built environment by leading DCH’s Neighborhood Tree Steward program. Heather has a background in public horticulture, working to connect people with plants, and promote the diversity of native species. Heather holds a B.S. in Forest Resource and Environmental Conservation from Virginia Tech. She is also an ISA Certified Arborist and has obtained Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.

About the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
The mission of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is to pursue innovative strategies and collaborations that improve the health of the region’s forests, create new forests in places important to water quality and promote the benefits of forests and resource management to private landowners, decision-makers and the general population of the six-state bay watershed. Craig Highfield is the Forests Program Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Craig leads the forest team that is situated in the Alliance’s state offices in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania. Craig received a M.S. in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University and is an ISA Certified Arborist.

About Delaware Forest Service
The mission of the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service (DFS) is to conserve, protect, and enhance Delaware forests and their resources for the public through education, management, demonstration, promotion, and providing technical services in a timely and efficient manner. DFS provides a wide range of services to help Delawareans manage and improve their forest resources. These services are divided into three categories: conservation, protection, and education. For more information, visit the website agriculture.delaware.gov/forest-service/ and connect with DFS on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

A piping plover chick with parent at Cape Henlopen State Park. DNREC will offer volunteer beach-nesting bird monitor training May 6 to help protect this federally-threatened and state-endangered species and other shorebirds including the American oystercatcher that nest on Delaware’s beaches. /Photo: Shelagh Lynch

Important Effort for Helping to Protect State’s Endangered and Threatened Birds

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is seeking volunteers who want to help protect Delaware’s beach-nesting birds – which include federally-listed threatened piping plovers and state-listed endangered American oystercatchers. Potential volunteers are invited to join a training session held by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 6 at Cape Henlopen State Park’s Officers Club Mess Hall located on Queens Road, Lewes 19958.

Volunteers who act as monitors are an important and valued component of the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s conservation efforts for the beach-nesting bird species. Stationed on the boundaries of the nesting areas, volunteers explain to beachgoers the importance of closing sections of the beach to prevent human disturbance thus helping increase the nesting success of the birds.

The May 6 volunteer training session will begin with light refreshments and a slideshow presentation, followed by a discussion about the beach-nesting bird monitoring program and how volunteers can help to ensure that these shorebirds are not disturbed while nesting and rearing their chicks during the summer months. Weather permitting, the group will finish the training session by venturing out to the Point at Cape Henlopen to look for piping plovers and other shorebirds likely to be feeding on the tidal flats. Binoculars will be available for use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own optics if they have them.

Pre-registration for the training is encouraged, but volunteer walk-ups can also receive training to become beach-nesting bird monitors. Park entrance fees will be waived for volunteers attending the training. For more information on the training, beach-nesting birds, or volunteer monitoring efforts, please visit de.gov/pipingplovers or email Avian Conservation Program Manager Samantha Robinson at deshorebirds@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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A piping plover forages along a Delaware beach in spring of 2020 /DNREC photo

Important Effort For Helping to Protect Endangered and Threatened Birds

Volunteers wanting to help protect Delaware’s beach-nesting birds, including federally-listed threatened piping plovers and state-listed endangered American oystercatchers, are invited to join a training session held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 7 at the Cape Henlopen State Park Officers Club (Youth Camp III) Mess Hall located at 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes 19958, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today.

The volunteer training session, offered by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife beach-nesting bird monitoring program, will begin with light refreshments and a slideshow presentation, followed by a discussion about the monitoring program and how volunteers can help to ensure that beach-nesting shorebirds are not disturbed while nesting and rearing their chicks during the summer months. Weather permitting, the group will finish the training session by venturing out to the Point at Cape Henlopen to look for piping plovers and other shorebirds likely to be feeding on the tidal flats. Birding scopes and binoculars will be available for use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own optics if they have them.

Volunteers are an important and valued component of the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s conservation efforts. Stationed on the boundaries of the bird nesting areas, volunteers explain to beachgoers the importance of closing sections of the beach to prevent human disturbance thus helping increase the nesting success of the birds.

Pre-registration for the training is encouraged, but volunteer walk-ups also will be accepted for training as beach-nesting bird monitors. Cape Henlopen State Park entrance fees will be waived for volunteers attending the training. For more information on the training, beach-nesting birds, or volunteer monitoring efforts, visit de.gov/pipingplovers or contact DNREC Coastal Avian Biologist Henrietta Bellman by emailing deshorebirds@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

Investments will expand Forward Delaware, and fund Pathways 2.0, which will expand the Pathways program to reach more than 6,000 Delaware middle school students and 80 percent of Delaware high school students

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and Lt. Governor Hall-Long joined private sector leaders at Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) on Tuesday to announce a $50 million investment in workforce development, including an expansion of the Forward Delaware jobs-training program for industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and additional work experience services for Delaware students.

The investments are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was championed by Delaware’s Congressional Delegation – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, along with Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. ARPA was passed by Congress and then signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11.

“We’re focused on investments that will build on the strengths of Delaware’s world-class workforce and support Delaware families and businesses who were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Carney. “These workforce development programs will help Delawareans develop the skills they need to succeed in a 21st century economy. And the expansion of our Pathways program will connect even more students with real-world work experience while they’re still in school. I want to thank President Biden and members of Delaware’s federal delegation for making these important resources available.”

Tuesday’s announcement includes a $15.8 million public-private expansion of Delaware’s Pathways program, which links education and workforce development programs and allows students to gain real-world work experience while in school.

“This investment in Delaware’s workforce will meet the challenges of tomorrow by working together, to strengthen Delaware’s economy, while providing our families the tools and skills they need to succeed,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long. “This public-private partnership makes strategic investments in our workforce that were not only hit the hardest during the pandemic as well as those that will lead us into the future with a focus on careers in STEM, healthcare, increasing women and minorities in construction, and our restaurant and hotel industry.”

Pathways 2.0will expand the Pathways program into Delaware middle schools, reaching more than 6,000 students. The investment will also grow the Pathways program in Delaware high schools to reach 32,000 students, about 80 percent of all students attending Delaware public high schools. Formed in 2015, the Pathways program currently serves about 20,000 high school students.

“The pandemic has made significant changes to our economy and workforce needs, and Delaware must adapt in order to be a competitive state with a first-class workforce now and in the future,” said Sens. Carper, Coons and Rep. Blunt Rochester. “We commend Governor Carney for his focus on workforce development throughout this difficult period, and Delaware Technical Community College for always adapting their programs to provide practical workforce needs.”

The State of Delaware will invest $8.3 million in the Pathways 2.0 expansion – targeting support for workforce development in health care, IT, finance, and engineering. The investments will also expand employer-driven apprenticeship programs that allow Delawareans to “earn and learn” in high-growth, high-wage industries.

Private and public entities contributed major funding toward the next phase of work through 2024, including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Walton Family Foundation, ASA (American Student Assistance), JPMorgan Chase, the Delaware Business Roundtable Education Committee (DBREC), and the Delaware Department of Education (DOE).

“Delaware is an important proof point for the nation on how states can rethink their schools as economic engines for the 21st century,” said Jenny Sharfstein Kane of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Bloomberg Philanthropies was proud to help catalyze Delaware’s pathways system in 2018, and we’re excited to partner to accelerate this work even further. This is also a significant example of how private and public funding can come together to mobilize maximum support and impact of the work.

“Young adults want meaningful, applicable learning experiences as they craft their unique path to a successful life,” said Romy Drucker, Interim Director of the K-12 Education Program for the Walton Family Foundation. “Only with deeper connections and collaboration between K-12 schools, colleges and employers can this be the reality for all students.”

“Delaware’s collaborative efforts will further ‘blur the lines’ between school and work—and make the world after graduation much more tangible and attainable for thousands of young people,” said Rodman Ward III, president and CEO of Corporation Service Company (CSC) and board chair of Rodel, a nonprofit that supports the public-private partnership in career pathways.

“We know that middle school is a crucial point in the education continuum when there is an enormous opportunity to help students better know themselves and understand their long-term education and career goals,” said ASA President and CEO Jean Eddy. “However, middle schoolers often experience stress when thinking about the future because there are so few resources available to help them plan. We are excited to partner with the state and other dedicated funders to significantly increase access to highly effective and engaging career exploration experiences that will empower thousands of young people to discover their interests, explore their options, and get hands-on experience that can help build students’ confidence in the future, as well as the skills necessary for their long-term success.”

“The negative, financial effects of the pandemic have disproportionately affected restaurants more than any other business sector, and with 5,000 open positions statewide, Delaware’s restaurant industry will only recover with a skilled workforce,” said Carrie Leishman, President and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association. “With 98% of Delaware restaurants reporting open positions, these funds will be used to rapidly advance training into all corners of our state, by supporting opportunity and upward mobility for those seeking to enter and re-enter the hospitality industry. We thank the Governor for continuing to support restaurants and the 46,000 Delawareans that make up its workforce.”

“This funding will accelerate our pathways models—bringing more students face-to-face with employers, while providing opportunities to earn college credit and industry credentials sooner,” said Joseph Jones, superintendent of the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District.

Additionally, the investments announced on Tuesday will support:

• $1.5 million – Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) Workforce Programs. Training programs will be offered statewide and designed to assist Delaware workers and their families who have been impacted most by the COVID-19 crisis. The initiative will focus on health care, logistics, and transportation. 
• $1.2 million – Expansion of Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Workforce Development Academy. Funding seeks to increase the participation of women, minorities, and disadvantaged Delawareans seeking employment in the highway construction industry. 
• $1 million – Restaurant and Hotel Industry Support. Funding will focus on training and pathways to employment for Delawareans seeking employment in Delaware’s hospitality industry. 

“DelDOT is making significant infrastructure investments across our state and it is important we are doing all we can to build the workforce of today and tomorrow and establishing a workforce that looks like the communities we represent,” said Nicole Majeski, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation.

“We are pleased that the Governor has continued investment in Forward Delaware. The program has become a recognized hub for employers and employees seeking information, data and resources to help Delawareans impacted by the COVID Pandemic,” said Karryl Hubbard, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Labor. “These critical federal funds will enhance an already successful model for developing and upskilling workers and will positively impact employment prospects for many underserved groups across the state. We look forward to working with our partners and providing training for critical industry needs.”

Click here to view video from today’s announcement.

Click here to view photos from today’s announcement.

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