The Bastrop County Public Health Department is helping residents seeking a profession in the health care industry receive assistance through its Create A Job, Save A Job program.

The details

The initiative—made possible with a $2 million grant the St. David’s Foundation awarded Bastrop County in July 2024—is creating pathways for residents in historically marginalized communities to enter high-demand, financially sustainable health care careers by helping them earn certifications and credentials, according to county documents.

Now, more residents could soon be assisted, as the Bastrop County Public Health Department is aiming to increase its service capacity from a cap of 125 students, according to a staff report.

“With a reduction in the average scholarship cost, [the Create A Job, Save A Job program] will now be able to serve a minimum of 150 individuals,” Donna Nichols, Bastrop Public Health Department director, said in the staff report.


She told Community Impact the reduction in the average scholarship cost—from between approximately $2,500 and $3,000 to between about $1,600 and $1,800—can be attributed to certifications and credentialing costing less than anticipated.

“We’re just thrilled to be able to turn around and take more folks into this program,” Nichols said.

She noted that as of Jan. 7, the Create A Job, Save A Job program, which launched in early September, had:
  • 72 enrolled students
  • Seven graduated students
  • Four students who have already accepted jobs in the health care industry in Bastrop County
Some background

The Bastrop County Public Health Department entered into a cooperative agreement with Career Tracks in August 2024 for assistance with employer engagement, student recruitment, training, case management and job placement.


The cooperative agreement outlines several responsibilities for Career Tracks, including:
  • Reaching out to underserved and underrepresented populations in Bastrop County
  • Collaborating with stakeholders across Bastrop County
  • Promoting health care career pathways
  • Coordinating recruitment events and informational sessions
  • Training Bastrop County residents for health care industry occupations
  • Assisting with credentialing and certification support
“This is a true opportunity for us here in the county,” Nichols said at the time. “It gives us a chance to collaborate and climb into the conversation about how we can sustain [Career Tracks] for the whole county, and how we can do that moving forward for positions like [registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, emergency medical technicians, certified nursing assistants] and a myriad of others.”

The outlook

The Bastrop County Commissioners Court will vote to amend the cooperative agreement with Career Tracks to raise the service capacity to a minimum of 150 residents during a Jan. 12 meeting.