Future Focused Education/X3

In 2018, a ruling in the lawsuit Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico found that New Mexico was not providing all students with rigorous, career-preparatory education; access to work-based learning to compete for high-wage careers went to only 3.8 percent of the best-resourced students. Since then, Future Focused Education, a New Mexico-based nonprofit, has worked with the state to help school districts develop work-based learning for underserved students, pairing students with local health care employers, and providing monthly stipends to the students.

With a statewide healthcare staffing shortage of nearly 18,000 professionals, its X3 Internship health care program facilitates relationships between young people and clinics, hospitals, high schools, postsecondary institutions, and health care partners. More than 90 percent of interns in the program have improved career attitudes, awareness, skills, or connections. Ninety-one percent of employer mentors report a positive experience. There are now more than 100 health care internship placements annually. At least 35 percent of interns receive employment or additional work-based learning directly out of the program.