The Hackensack Meridian Health Ambition Academy offers recent high school graduates a direct path to a high-demand healthcare career, serving as a powerful alternative to attending college.

Participants receive paid, hands-on training, and professional guidance as a Patient Care Technician Apprentice at one of our top-ranked medical centers. Once the apprentices complete their respective programs, they will be eligible to apply for permanent positions within our statewide network.

The Patient Care Technician Apprenticeship class will be held in Hackensack, Edison and Neptune.

Please note: You must be a current high school senior who is graduating in June 2026 to be eligible for the HMH Ambition Academy.

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The PCT Apprenticeship Program is structured around a combination of classroom training and preceptorship on a unit. It is designed to train eager and compassionate candidates who are interested in a career in the Nursing field.  Following successful completion of this program, you will go from a PCT Apprentice to a Patient Care Technician for Hackensack Meridian Health!

• Training in all areas of Patient Care Technician, including:
  a) Providing patient care, based on physical, psychosocial, education, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the guests/patients served in assigned service
• b) Providing for effective and safe guest/patients outcomes through practice, judgment and critical actions
  c) Ongoing communication with patients, nursing colleagues and other members of the health care team regarding patient's status and rendered care
  d) Taking self-directed or self-motivated initiative to do more than is expected or required in the job, acting before being required to by events, improving job performance, and/or creating new opportunities
  e) Participating in interdisciplinary collaboration of our patient's plan of care from admission to discharge to ensure safe transitioning and continuum of care
  f) Participating in Unit/Department Performance Improvement [PI] activities
•  Adheres to HMH Organizational and Managerial competencies and standards of behavior.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• High School diploma, general equivalency diploma (GED), and/or GED equivalent programs.
• The ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing patient needs, a strong sense of accountability for improving the lives of our patients and their caregivers, an exceptional focus on teamwork, dedication to ongoing education and the ability and passion to deliver the highest quality of care and service based on a strong sense of patient focus are all required.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification within 60 days of entering position.

If you feel that the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!

Please note: You must be a current high school senior who is graduating in June 2026 to be eligible for the HMH Ambition Academy.

HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members. The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package. The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer. Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate. The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to: Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness. Experience: Years of relevant work experience. Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training. Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies. Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location. Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization. Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered. Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate. Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts. In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.