Healthcare

The healthcare regional industry cluster was one of the first areas outside of tourism that attracted the attention of the SJEDD Board of Directors.  The evolution of the growth potential of this cluster began at the Workforce Investment Board.  The demand for a qualified workforce, i.e. nursing and technicians, far outstripped supply.  Incentives such as favorable hours, high pay and even signing bonuses became common place, driving healthcare costs up.  The Workforce Investment Board, as well as the SJEDD Board, recognized a unique opportunity to not only expand the employment market opportunities for local residents, but to provide a career path only limited by the ambition of the employee.