HPOG Success Story: Getachew at Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County

Publication Date: December 13, 2018
Current as of:

Getachew Haile

Seattle, WA

Part of living the American Dream is being able to follow your own personal calling. It is a dream that belongs to everyone, not just those born in the United States; a dream that is rooted in the understanding that with hard work and desire, anything is possible. Getachew Haile is proof that the American Dream still exists, and proof that HPOG can play an important role in helping make it achievable for everyone.

Getachew Haile came to the United States in 2015 from Ethiopia where he had been a practicing nurse. Getachew knew he wanted to continue in the healthcare field, but like many nurses who emigrate to our country, he hit a brick wall of stringent standards that put the career he was passionate about in jeopardy. Nurses are global citizens, and Getachew was determined to take his past academic and professional training and use it to become a practicing nurse in his new home country.

By 2016, Getachew was in the Seattle, Washington area and working with the Puget Sound Welcome Back Center, an organization that helps build bridges between internationally trained professionals and the need for culturally competent professional services. While assisting Getachew compile transcripts and documents for formal credential evaluation, the Welcome Back Center recognized that he was the perfect candidate for the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County’s Health Workforce for the Future (HWF) program, funded by HPOG. In April 2016, Getachew enrolled in the program. Suddenly, he was on the fast-track to continuing the career he had started in his native Ethiopia.

With the assistance of his HWF Navigator, Getachew enrolled in Nursing Assistant training, which he successfully completed in May. By the end of June, he had taken and passed the Nursing Assistant licensing exam, received his license to work from the state, and connected with the HWF business services rep to identify and begin applying for available jobs in the area. In July, Getachew began working at a prominent and well-respected assisted living and memory care provider.

This job marks only the beginning of Getachew’s aspirations and engagement with HPOG. He continues to work closely with his HWF Navigator to prepare for the next step in his career. With the assistance of his navigator, Getachew is preparing for the national nursing credentialing exam that will allow him to work as a Registered Nurse in Washington State by the end of 2017. Getachew’s story shows how an HPOG-funded program can provide the guidance and assistance needed to turn a lifetime of global education and training into a uniquely American experience.