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ROE rolls out 26 VR healthcare modules to introduce students to medical careers
Summary
Regional Office of Education officials told the LaSalle County Services & Health Committee that ARPA and grant funding paid for 26 virtual-reality systems and software modules to give K–12 students hands-on exposure to health-care jobs and help address local workforce shortages.
Kristin Borak, regional superintendent for the Regional Office of Education, told the LaSalle County Services & Health Committee that the ROE used federal ARPA dollars and other grants to buy virtual-reality systems and curriculum so K–12 students in LaSalle, Putnam and Marshall counties can explore health-care careers in classrooms.
The program is meant to give students simulated, hands-on exposure to jobs that local schools and hospitals say are in short supply. “With that we purchased actually 26 VR systems that we then put through local more elementary schools,” Borak said. The rollout included training events at Illinois Valley Community College and partner work with OSF HealthCare to create Enduvo software modules, officials said.
Why it matters: Local officials described shortages of nurses, EMTs and other clinical staff and said exposing students to careers earlier could increase post‑secondary enrollment in local training programs such as IVCC and…
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