The United Way of Central Iowa has been awarded a nearly $1.8 million grant from the U.S Commerce Department to diversify the local health care workforce. According to a news release, the United Way of Central Iowa is one of 32 organizations across the country to share $500 million from the Good Jobs Challenge, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. The Good Jobs Challenge helps communities fund innovative workforce programs that will help train more than 50,000 people. The 32 recipients were selected from a group of more than 500 applicants. In Iowa, the funding will help create career pathways by bringing together the leading health care employers, the three major hospital systems, long-term care institutions and educational institutions. According to the release, the United Way of Central Iowa will focus on entry-level positions that show clear opportunities for advancement. The United Way will assign each participant a case manager who will tailor services to the individual. The program will offer a tiered entry system, from requiring no postsecondary education to providing career advancement opportunities for workers who have degrees in nursing.