Highmark-Funded Center Expands Delaware Health Training
Healthcare employers in Delaware can expect a larger pool of certified allied health candidates as the state's senior population grows.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Healthcare
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, through its $1 million BluePrints grant, helped Delaware Technical Community College open its Healthcare Center for Excellence at the Terry Campus in Dover. The 15-year partnership targets healthcare workforce training across the state.
Why it matters
Seniors are expected to make up a third of Delaware's population by 2040, which raises demand for healthcare workers. Employers in allied health and related fields face a growing pipeline question as that demand builds.
The $1 million grant underwrites a program that has enrolled 703 people across 13 training tracks since 2022, with an 86% completion rate. In 2025, 237 participants earned certifications.
The players
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
A health insurer and managed care company whose BluePrints program funds community health and workforce initiatives in the regions it serves.
Delaware Technical Community College
A public two-year college system in Delaware that runs career and technical training, including allied health and healthcare certificate programs.
The details
Allied health students gain hands-on experience through clinical placements and EMT ride-alongs, and the Healthcare Center for Excellence now serves as a hub for several programs. Highmark also established a scholarship endowment for allied health and short-term certificate programs. Additional funds support mental health care, childcare, transportation and food assistance for students, which addresses barriers that can keep students from finishing training.
Timeline
2022: Enrollment in the healthcare training programs began being counted.
2024: Renovations of the Healthcare Center for Excellence were completed.
2025: 237 program participants were certified.
2040: Seniors are projected to make up a third of Delaware's population.
Market Landscape
Delaware's projected 2040 senior population, with seniors making up a third of residents, sets the demand backdrop for this training investment. Employer-funded and insurer-funded workforce partnerships are one way health systems and education providers are working to fill allied health roles.
Healthcare employers in Delaware should expect a growing supply of certified allied health candidates from community college programs over the coming years. Operators who recruit clinical support staff may find it worth engaging training providers early in the pipeline.
The takeaway
Workforce pipelines built through college partnerships are becoming a practical lever for healthcare employers facing an aging population. Operators hiring allied health staff should track program completion and certification counts as a leading indicator of local labor supply.
Further reading
For more on the state's health-sector hiring pressures, see the Healthcare section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Delaware Business Times.
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