About the Southland Health Care Forum

The Southland Health Care Forum (The Forum) is a workforce development and training agency formed to meet the diverse staffing needs of area employers while strengthening the region’s economy.  The Forum works collaboratively with local businesses, colleges, churches, and other agencies to provide quality training for people seeking careers in healthcare, business and industry.  The Forum offers allied healthcare and technical programs for certification and computer training for a variety of fields.  Career workshops and other educational programs are offered throughout the year.  The Forum is a nationally recognized leader in the workforce development field and is a model, consultant, and trainer to other organizations.

The Forum History

Acutely aware of the need to find qualified individuals to fill expansive job opportunities in healthcare, Franciscan St. James Health and Advocate South Suburban Hospital in 2000 spearheaded the development of what is now the Southland Health Care Forum.  Recognizing the power of collaboration, eight additional hospitals joined the effort becoming the catalyst for the work the Forum continues to do today.  In 2003, the Forum was incorporated as a 501(C) (3) not-for-profit organization and was launched to assist area hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare agencies to provide job opportunities for an appropriately trained workforce.  Over the years, the Forum has offered training and educational workshops for a variety of industries however health career training continues to be the mainstay of the organization.