"Half A Million Reasons, This Work Matters"

One question from a student made me stop and reflect.

What started as a conversation about work-life balance became a reminder of why Elevate HTM exists.

We’re not just exposing students to HTM.

We’re helping create pathways From First Exposure to First Paycheck.
And we’re just getting started.

Big thanks to our partners: College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, A.M. BICKFORD, INC., UptimeServices, MARS Bio-Med Processes Inc., Innovative Radiology, Sage Services Group, DESCO Services and Cadmet, Inc.. Your support helps keep the HTM mission moving forward!

This podcast was produced by the B-Hawk Network.

Transcript

A Question About Work Life Balance

SPEAKER_00 0:03

I usually wait until the end of the year to share the great things happening with Elevate HTM. But recently I had a moment that made me pause. I was speaking to about 200 juniors preparing to enter their senior year, and one of them asked me about work-life balance. I'll be honest, I didn't know how to answer it at first. Because when I'm off from the work I do, I'm often find myself doing the work I love. Advocating for HTM, speaking to students, creating opportunities, opening doors, building a pipeline for an industry that changed my life. Then in the middle of that conversation, I mentioned something I hadn't really thought about before.

The Salary Number That Hits Hard

SPEAKER_00 0:55

The students who have entered the HTM industry through our efforts now represent more than half a million dollars in annual salaries. When I said it out loud, it hit me. That's not

Set The Standard Not The Energy

SPEAKER_00 1:10

just money. That's opportunity. That's dignity. That's families being impacted. That's young people stepping into careers they may have never known existed. Sometimes we're so busy building that

From Exposure To First Paycheck

SPEAKER_00 1:27

we forget to stop and appreciate what's already been built. And now we have four more students preparing to enter the elevated HTM pathway program as they head into their senior year. For students, for futures, for opportunities to impact lives. If there's one thing this journey has taught me, it's this. Don't match the energy, but set the standard. At ElevateHTM, we're not waiting on someone else to build the pipeline. We're going to do our part. And here's what makes our mission different. Elevate HTM is not just an exposure project. Plenty of organizations introduce students to careers. We believe the responsibility doesn't stop there. Our commitment is simple. From first exposure to first paycheck. We walk alongside students from the moment they discover HTM to the moment they begin building a career in it. Through exposure, through mentorship, through guidance, through opportunity. Because awareness is important, but pathways change lives. We're going to show up. We're going to serve. New opportunities, new programs, new partnerships, and more students whose lives can be impacted by this incredible profession.

Investing In The Next Generation

SPEAKER_00 3:22

But for now, I'll just say this. The future of HTM won't be built by accident. It will be built by people willing to invest in the next generation. That's why Elevate HTM remains committed to one mission. From first exposure to first paycheck. One student, one opportunity, one future at a time. The work is bigger than us, the future is bigger than us, and the mission is worth the wait. Stay tuned. We're just getting started.