The Sentinel: 09/23/24

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Unity falls in epic gridiron battle to Althoff

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Grarret Richardson avoids a tackle by Althoff's Cordon Charleston on his way to the first of two touchdowns on Friday. The senior finished finished 140 all-purpose yards in the Rockets' 53-52 thriller at Hicks Field.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Brayden Henry hauls in an Althoff pass for a second-quarter interception on 30-yard line with 10:19 to play in the half. The catch stalled the Crusader drive while Unity trailed 21-14 on the scoreboard.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Rockets' Brayden Henry is pulled down from behind during early fourth-quarter action by the Crusaders.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

After going up 51-45 after his 52-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, Unity receiver Tre Hoggard celebrates the score with fans in the west end zone. Hoggard scored four of the Rockets' seven touchdowns, finishing with 266 yards on 12 catches.

Younger generation needed for future healthcare jobs in Illinois

Photo: Akram Huseyn/Unsplash

The healthcare employee pool is shrinking. A new program for high school students has been created to help address the shortfall in skilled medical professionals.

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

CHICAGO - The healthcare employee pool is shrinking - and as the medical profession faces increases in demand for mental health treatment, chronic illness management, and an aging population - a new program hopes high school students can step in.

Competition is tight between healthcare organizations and providers needing accredited and skilled talent.

Online educational provider MedCerts Vice President of Partnerships and Workforce Development, Jennifer Kolb, said the program is designed to generate students' interest in healthcare fields and get them trained.

"How do we build a pipeline of talent that is certified - a new generation of people interested in healthcare to go into these roles?" said Kolb. "And where do we get the talent from?"

Kolb said since 2019, the average hospital has spent or lost about $24 million - or about $7,000 to $9,000 a day - due to workforce turnover.

The MedCerts program has partnerships with local businesses and eLearning training providers.

Kolb said the goal is to have full-time, entry-level jobs ready for the students when they graduate from high school.

MedCerts partners with Madison County through the Medical Assistant Apprenticeships program with the Health Sisters Hospital System in Illinois.

There are more than 50 training offerings, including sterile processing technicians, surgical technologists, and pharmacy technicians.

Kolb said the certifications can be earned in three to six months, and the program offers a Pay to Career pipeline that allows the student to earn on-the-job college credit.

"Ninety-five percent of healthcare employers have a tuition reimbursement program as an employee benefit," said Kolb, "and they can use their employee benefit to go to college."

The college credit can be applied to a four-year institution for advanced medical careers, such as nursing.

State and federal dollars and employers fund the program, so the student has no financial obligations. According to the state, 13% of Illinois schools offer a health sciences and technology curriculum.

There are too few female workers as Illinois energy industry grows

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

CHICAGO - Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a healthier environment. According to the Energy.gov report, Energy Facts: Impact of the Investing in America Agenda on Illinois, The Inflation Reduction Act will contribute to job increases by producing $18 billion of investment in clean power generation and storage by 2030. E2 is a nationwide network of business leaders that focuses on environmental and economic policy.

Michaela Preskill, state director of advocacy for E2, said Illinois' "robust and growing" clean energy jobs are driving economic growth.

"Clean energy jobs grew by over 4% last year, and that's eight times faster than the state's overall economy," she said.

Workers manufacturing Energy Star appliances are using advanced materials for the construction and servicing of homes and commercial buildings. These efforts result in cost-effective lighting and HVAC systems, Preskill noted, which saves consumers and homeowners money. The report also claims the Inflation Reduction Act means commercial building owners can receive up to $5 per square foot in tax credits to support energy efficiency improvements.

Clean energy industry watchers predict an 8% growth of employees in Illinois in 2025. Preskill said there is no indication the trend will slow down, but diversity is an issue. The site 'Save-on-energy-dot-com,' says women represent only 22% of workers in the energy sector and 32% in the renewable energy sector. She admits the field is traditionally male, but is optimistic for change.

"It's about 70% male, 30% female in Illinois. We are seeing that more and more females enter year after year. And I think it will slowly become more inclusive. But we got some work to do for sure," she explained.

The International Energy Agency site reports female employees in the energy sector earn nearly 20% less than male workers.

Mroz advances at ITA All-American Championships

TULSA, OK. – Illinois tennis player William Mroz advanced to the singles qualifiers at the ITA All-American Championships on Sunday in Tulsa. Mroz won three singles matches in pre-qualifying action to earn a spot among 64 student-athletes in the qualifying round today.

Mroz won in straight sets over Auburn's William Nolan, 6-4, 6-2, in his first match in the quallies. Next, he faced Georgia Tech's Nate Bonetto on Sunday morning, cruising to a 6-2, 6-1 win. The redshirt junior played a second match on Sunday afternoon, finishing with another dominant performance, knocking Duke's Oscar Brown 6-1, 6-4,

Sixty-four student-athletes will compete in the singles qualifying bracket, with 16 players advancing to the singles main draw on Wednesday.