ShiftMed Partners with Skilltrade to Build Allied Health Talent Pipelines for Health Systems

New collaboration expands ShiftMed platform to include workforce training, enabling health systems to develop certified allied health professionals and reduce labor shortages.

• ShiftMed partners with Skilltrade to embed AI-driven training directly into its workforce platform.
• The collaboration combines workforce optimization with scalable allied health education, tackling one of healthcare's most pressing challenges: a shortage of credentialed professionals.
• Health systems can actively build new clinical talent pipelines, developing credentialed staff from ShiftMed's platform.

MCLEAN, Va., May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ShiftMed, a leading healthcare AI workforce optimization platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Skilltrade, a workforce training organization, to integrate allied health education directly into its workforce ecosystem. Through this collaboration, ShiftMed will offer Skilltrade's training programs to health systems and clinicians as an extension of its platform, enabling healthcare organizations to build sustainable talent pipelines for critical allied health roles. This partnership helps address hospital workflow challenges by tackling one of the most pressing issues in healthcare today: a structural shortage of credentialed allied health professionals.

Skilltrade's AI-based personalized learning simulations combined with human-to-human support deliver turnkey training programs with live instruction, hands-on labs, and certification prep, built for working adults and workforce partners.

By combining ShiftMed's AI workforce optimization technology with Skilltrade's immersive curriculum, the partnership delivers a comprehensive solution for long-term workforce stability. In addition to managing existing labor pools, healthcare organizations can now develop new clinical talent, from both internal and external candidate pools, directly through the platform.

"Healthcare organizations require more than immediate labor capacity; they need strategic solutions that architect a sustainable pipeline," said Todd Walrath, CEO of ShiftMed. "By partnering with Skilltrade, we are giving our clients the ability to not only optimize the workforce they have today but to actively engineer the credentialed workforce they need to solve the workflow challenges of tomorrow."

With this partnership, health systems can seamlessly move from identifying workflow gaps to developing and deploying qualified talent. Skilltrade delivers turnkey, cohort-based, hybrid training programs that upskill underutilized individuals into certified professionals by:

• Converting existing applicant volume into credentialed clinical float pool staff
• Upskilling internal employees into high-demand roles such as medical assistants, sterile processing technicians, surgical technologists, and patient care technicians
• Launching flexible training programs, with options for onsite, hybrid, or online delivery
• Accessing funding pathways, including employer-sponsored education, workforce grants, and apprenticeships

"Healthcare employers are navigating a complex and fragmented workforce ecosystem," said Jason Aubrey, CEO of Skilltrade. "Our role is to simplify that complexity, bringing AI-enabled training, funding navigation, and workforce partnerships together into one coordinated solution. Partnering with ShiftMed allows us to deliver that value at scale."

This collaboration builds on ShiftMed's continued investment in innovative workforce solutions that help health systems reduce reliance on contract labor and associated costs, improve retention through internal career pathways, strengthen long-term workforce stability, and enhance care delivery.

For more information about ShiftMed and its innovative healthcare workforce management solutions, visit www.shiftmed.com.

About ShiftMed

ShiftMed's Workforce Management Suite helps health systems reduce costs and improve workforce efficiency through an AI-driven workforce operating layer. In 2025 alone, ShiftMed supported more than 631,000 shifts, helping health systems generate over $200 million in labor savings. By embedding AI throughout the shift fulfillment process, ShiftMed enables healthcare leaders to optimize labor, reduce premium spend, and gain greater operational control. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing HR and scheduling systems, delivering a comprehensive, data-driven view of workforce performance.

The suite includes ShiftMed Flex, a custom-branded mobile app that enables health systems to engage and credential clinicians to expand their internal float pools, cover open shifts, and reduce premium pay. It also includes the ShiftMed Unlimited Network, extending a health system's reach to more than 250,000 W2, fully credentialed community-based clinicians. Through intelligent matching and real-time shift visibility, ShiftMed ensures consistent, high-quality fulfillment while reducing reliance on premium labor. The platform operates nationwide serving partners in over 165 markets.

For more information, visit www.shiftmed.com.

About Skilltrade

Skilltrade is led by a proven founder and executive team with a combined 40-year track record of advancing communities through short-term, certified allied health training, producing job-ready employees across the United States.

The company is an AI-enabled, modern educational platform delivering mission-driven workforce solutions for high-demand healthcare careers through a hybrid model combining flexible online learning with AI-immersive, interactive 3D simulation and gamification that keeps learners engaged throughout the program, along with local, hands-on labs. Designed to be faster and more affordable than traditional education, Skilltrade provides job-ready training without student debt and can deploy programs on-site in virtually any location.

Through its asset-light, turnkey approach, Skilltrade partners with employers to deliver scalable solutions, including train-and-hire programs and customized curricula. The company also supports funding by identifying, applying for, securing, and managing grant opportunities. By connecting education to employment, Skilltrade builds sustainable talent pipelines to address critical healthcare workforce shortages. Backed by leading ed-tech investors, including Silicon Valley-based Owl Ventures. For more information, visit www.skilltrade.com

SOURCE ShiftMed