Valued Voice

WHA's Ann Zenk and Panelists at the BizTimes Future Workforce Summit

Hundreds of Milwaukee employers attended the BizTimes Future Workforce Summit on Feb. 26. During the event, they had the opportunity to learn about strategies to foster health care career interest in high school students from a panel of health care workforce experts and employers and their partners in education.  

WHA Senior Vice President of Workforce and Clinical Practice Ann Zenk served as a panelist and opened the discussion by offering context from the WHA 2026 Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report. Zenk pointed to the changing demographics of our state and the nation as the large baby boom generation reaches retirement age, noting, “The Silver Tsunami is here and shrinking the available workforce for every industry, but it’s creating a dual challenge for health care as health care needs increase as we age.” Zenk described current workforce shortages occurring as individuals retire at a faster pace than they can be replaced and growing health care demand creates the need for a larger health care workforce.

Employer and educator dyads from Froedtert Health and Messmer High School and from Versiti Blood Centers and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, highlighted their partner programs, helping students explore health care careers and gain hands-on experience. Each shared advice on what can be done to strengthen the region’s health care workforce.

Zenk shared the WHA “So Many Options” career exploration website and social media campaign as an impactful strategy. She also highlighted the WHA Foundation and hospital grant program that supports the growth of HOSA – Future Health Professionals chapters at high schools across the state.

The panel closed with the panelist from Cristo Rey High School describing health care as a route to so many family-supporting careers: “Students can start pursuing career pathways in high school that will allow them to find among the best-paying jobs right in the community where they live.”