East Alabama Health earns recognition from Alabama Department of Workforce
September 22, 2026
East Alabama Health has been recognized by the Alabama Department of Workforce for creating paid, hands-on learning experiences that help students explore career paths in skilled trades within the health care industry.
The health system’s FAME program partnership with Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) was designated a 2026-27 Regional Work-Based Learning Best Practice. East Alabama Health was the only health care organization to earn recognition.
“This recognition speaks to our commitment to giving students meaningful, hands-on opportunities to discover where their skills can make a difference in health care,” Chief Human Resources Officer Susan Johnston said. “Whether someone is pursuing a degree in health care or a career in a skilled trade, there is a place on the East Alabama Health team, along with support to help them achieve their goal.”
Nationwide, demand for skilled trade professionals continues to grow as industries face retirements, workforce shortages and increasingly complex technology. In health care, those roles are especially important: while clinical teams care for patients, maintenance professionals help ensure facilities, systems and equipment remain safe, reliable and ready when patients need them most.
East Alabama Health and Southern Union have partnered to create new pathways into the health care workforce by collaborating on the FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education) program.
Through the FAME program, Southern Union students pursuing a technical degree receive paid, practical experience maintaining a health system while interning side-by-side with East Alabama Health’s Plant & Maintenance Department.
“This program allows students to gain real-world experience while helping us build a stronger pipeline for roles that are essential to our health system,” said Lauren Farris, Workforce Development manager at East Alabama Health.
While participating in the program, the interns help troubleshoot technical issues and support equipment reliability for patients and staff.
For Brodie Whirley, who completed the FAME program and now works as a maintenance mechanic at East Alabama Health, the opportunity to complete his education while earning a paycheck provided a career head start.
“Being able to put myself through college and get a degree has been a great benefit,” Whirley said. “It was tough when I first started, but I learned a lot. The guys in the shop taught me a lot about the job and I’ve made some good friends.”
To see more ways East Alabama Health is changing what’s possible in workforce development, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org/blueprint.
About East Alabama Health
East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North in Opelika, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 336-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 4,100 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.
