Roseburg High Students to Gain Hands-On Healthcare Training at UCC Through New Partnership

ROSEBURG, Ore. — Roseburg High School students will soon have a dedicated learning space on the campus of Umpqua Community College, creating new, hands-on healthcare career pathways without leaving the community.

The partnership was formally approved during a joint meeting of the Roseburg School Board and the Umpqua Community College Board held at the Rose Theatre at Roseburg High School. Both boards voted to approve the agreement and signed it the same evening, marking a significant step toward expanding local workforce development opportunities.

The agreement provides Roseburg students with dedicated space inside UCC’s new Welcome Center and Medical Careers Hub, which is currently under construction. The collaboration is designed to allow high school students to begin exploring and training for healthcare careers directly on a college campus, an opportunity that remains rare in Oregon.

UCC President Dr. Rachel Pokrandt and Roseburg Public Schools Superintendent Jared Cordon recently discussed the partnership during an interview on Inside Douglas County on KQEN.

Superintendent Cordon said the agreement builds on existing collaborations and opens the door to additional healthcare career pathways for students. He described the arrangement as a unique opportunity for high school students to learn in a real college environment, adding that students “do better when they have a pathway and a reason to be here,” and emphasizing the importance of showing young people that meaningful futures are possible in Douglas County.

Dr. Pokrandt stressed that the collaboration goes beyond physical space. She explained that the focus is on programming and creating clear pathways to high-skill, high-paying healthcare jobs. She noted that the partnership is about helping students see a future for themselves locally while also addressing critical workforce needs in the region’s healthcare system.

College and school district leaders view the agreement as both an educational investment and a community strategy - one aimed at keeping local talent in Douglas County, strengthening healthcare services, and providing students with practical, career-focused opportunities before they graduate.

The partnership is expected to evolve as the Medical Careers Hub nears completion and new programs come online, further expanding options for students interested in healthcare professions.