Through HEET grants, the Healthcare Training Fund works with local colleges to create needed programs for working adults like you. Check out our unique Washington state-funded offerings to advance your career.
For more than a decade, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has worked with the Washington legislature to provide funding to help educate and train healthcare workers. This funding comes in the form of Hospital Employee Education and Training (HEET) grants.
HEET grants are used for curriculum development and modification to fund equipment to train incumbent workers, create systems to grant credit for prior classes, fund support for students, create program recruitment and retention, hold symposiums, and more.
Bellevue College
Learn more about Bellevue College’s Medical Assistant Program
Accessible Pathways to Nursing for CNAs and MAs at Bellingham Technical College
This HEET project focuses on strengthening the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pathway for incumbent hospital workers studying at Bellingham Technical College and expanding opportunities for working Medical Assistants (MA) to enter Bellingham Technical College Nursing programs.
This program will also:
Program Partners
Bellingham Technical College, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, PeaceHealth Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, and Healthcare Training Fund.
Contact your partner liaison to learn more.
Questions? Email members@healthcaretrainingfund.org or call us at (425) 255-0315.
Hybrid Surgical Technology Consortium at Clover Park Technical College & Columbia Basin College
Developing an accessible, high-quality Surgical Technology Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) with prioritization of incumbent healthcare workers and underserved populations.
This project will establish a collaborative program model between Clover Park Technical College and Columbia Basin College. The program aims to establish online didactic courses and in-person lab “boot camps” at centralized simulation facilities and/or the students’ “sponsoring” hospitals.
This is a planning year for the program. The outcomes of the project planning year will be:
Not yet accepting applications. Pilot Cohort begins in Spring 2026.
Program Partners
Clover Park Technical College, Columbia Basin College, Kaiser Permanente, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and the Healthcare Training Fund
Resources
Healthcare Training Fund members can receive ongoing career support and academic pathway navigation. Members can also apply for tuition assistance and funding for childcare, transportation, technology, and more. Contact your partner liaison to learn more.
Questions? Email members@healthcaretrainingfund.org or call us at (425) 255-0315.
Simulation Technologist Program at Highline College
*This is a planning year. This program is not yet accepting students.
Simulation technologists are increasingly vital across industries, particularly in healthcare, where they design and manage training and testing environments. This Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program aims to bridge the skills gap and align with regional workforce demands.
A feasibility study will evaluate job market trends, survey employers, and assess existing training programs to gain competitive insights. Course sequences will be designed with a focus on programming, simulation software, hardware integration, and troubleshooting — emphasizing hands-on, experiential learning. Advisory committees will be established, along with strategic partnerships to support internships and mentoring opportunities. We will identify necessary technological and physical resources, including AR/VR systems and high-performance computing labs. Additionally, employment data will be collected to underscore workforce demand in key sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond.
The outcomes of the project will be:
Program Partners
This program is a partnership between Highline College, MultiCare, Swedish, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and the Healthcare Training Fund.
Contact your partner liaison to learn more.
Questions? Email members@healthcaretrainingfund.org or call us at (425) 255-0315.
Members who participate in HEET programs may also be eligible for extra support from the Healthcare Training Fund. This includes tuition assistance, childcare, transportation, and money for books and supplies.
Contact your navigator to learn more. Each HEET program has an assigned Navigator – click the programs above to learn more.
Note: HEET funds are considered taxable income. You will need to submit a W9 to the Healthcare Training Fund, and if you receive $600 or more from the Healthcare Training Fund within a given year, we will send you a tax form to use when submitting your annual taxes. Please work with a professional tax accountant if you have further questions.
Save copies of all childcare transactions so that you can provide documentation.
Save copies of all receipts.
May include the purchase of a new laptop / tablet / Wi-Fi device specifically for HEET project course use, as well as printer, paper, and classroom supplies.
Check with your navigator before purchasing and save copies of all receipts.
HEET can help you achieve your dreams
“My grandmother was a registered nurse, she was a military nurse. When I was a young girl I always wanted to be like my grandma. So just don’t give up on that hope or that dream. I was grateful and thankful that I could finally, after 26 years of being an LPN, get my RN degree.”
Healthcare Training Fund members can receive ongoing career support and academic pathway navigation.
Step 1: Connect with your navigator to verify eligibility.
Step 2: Submit a HEET funding request form.
After your request form and all documents have been received and approved, you will receive funds within 30 days.
Contact Justin Taft, HEET Grant Navigator, Bellevue College justin.taft@bellevuecollege.edu
Contact your partner liaison to learn more.
Questions? Email members@healthcaretrainingfund.org or call us at (425) 255-0315.