WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The UPMC Life Center at the YMCA in Williamsport is a busy place. Recruiters are talking to people about a career in the health care system.
"I heard about this from my mother, who is a member at the Y, and she said, 'Hey, just come in, they'll talk to you and get you linked up with whoever you need to talk to,'" said Abigail Way.
"I am looking for a job in the medical field so I can associate myself with what I want to do in the future," Julie Sanchez said.
Starting this year, every third Wednesday of each month will be known as "Walk-in Wednesday." Each Walk-in Wednesday will have two time slots — from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Folks can come in to learn about a number of different positions with UPMC.
"As a hospital, we have all sorts of different types of opportunities from those who serve your food to you, who clean the rooms, all the way up to those who are taking care of the patients," said Kyle Bryan, UPMC's recruitment manager.
Over the past few years, the hospital has been trying to add to its workforce. The pandemic caused staffing shortages.
"Less people coming into the labor market and a lot of people deciding to retire earlier or even just altogether deciding to leave this market has caused a huge increase in demand for us," Bryan said.
Julie Sanchez hopes to become a physician's assistant. she Talked with a recruiter to learn how to get started.
"I want to serve other people, and I want to make myself useful. I plan on attending Lock Haven University because they have a good PA program."
Just last week, UPMC announced that its minimum wage will be raised to $18 an hour across the healthcare system within the next few years.
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