Deaconess Celebrates Launch of INCAP Healthcare Assistant Apprenticeship Program

Seven local high school students begin a three-year program combining paid work experience, college coursework and hands-on healthcare training.

EVANSVILLE, IND. — Deaconess Health System celebrated the launch of our new INCAP Healthcare Assistant Apprenticeship Program on Tuesday, August 25, welcoming seven local high school students who will spend the next two to three years gaining real-world experience, exploring careers in healthcare, all while getting paid.

The inaugural cohort of INCAP apprentices includes students from Bosse, Central and Tecumseh high schools. The students, who are currently sophomores and juniors, were joined by their families and Deaconess leaders for a kick-off celebration and tour at Deaconess Midtown Hospital to mark the beginning of the program.

Through the apprenticeship, students will combine classroom learning with paid, hands-on experience at Deaconess. Ivy Tech Evansville faculty members will teach the students’ college coursework on-site at Deaconess, allowing them to continue their education while learning directly within a healthcare environment.

“Healthcare offers so many different career paths, and this program gives these students a unique opportunity to begin exploring those possibilities while they are still in high school,” said Jasmine Mouncil, Student Workforce Development Team Leader at Deaconess. “We’re excited to welcome our first group of INCAP apprentices and help them gain the knowledge and real-world experience that can shape their future careers.”

Over the course of the three-year program, the INCAP apprentices will rotate through several areas of Deaconess, gaining exposure to a variety of healthcare careers. This year, their rotations will include:

• Pediatric primary care with Dr. Capri Weyer, Deaconess Health System Director of Medical Primary Care and Brooke Garrison, Deaconess Health System Director of Regional Clinic
• Laboratory services with Melanie Eyers, Deaconess Health System Laboratory Director 
• Nursing with Kourtney Radcliff, Chief Nursing Officer at Deaconess Gateway Hospital 

Applications for next year’s program are expected to open in January. 

ABOUT DEACONESS HEALTH SYSTEM: Deaconess Health System is a premiere provider of health care services to a population of more than 1.5 million in southwestern Indiana, western Kentucky and southeastern Illinois. The system, based in Evansville, Indiana, includes 23 hospitals – among them Deaconess Midtown Hospital, Deaconess Gateway Hospital, The Women’s Hospital, Deaconess Henderson Hospital, Deaconess Memorial Medical Center and numerous other hospital affiliates. Deaconess Clinic, a fully integrated multispecialty group featuring primary care physicians as well as top specialty doctors, provides patients with consistent and convenient care. Additional components include the Linda E. White Hospice House, a freestanding cancer center, urgent care facilities, near-site clinics, telemedicine, virtual visits, a network of preferred hospitals and doctors and multiple partnerships with other regional health care providers. 

ABOUT INCAP: INCAP is a new education and training pathway that prepares Hoosiers for in-demand careers and helps Indiana businesses find and train employees. INCAP offers programs for high school and adult students, with the first high school apprenticeships launching for the 2026-2027 school year, while career training programs for adults begin later this fall. INCAP participants split their time between the workplace and the classroom, spending multiple full days a week on the job to help ensure they gain in-demand skills while also making meaningful contributions to their employers. INCAP participants are paid by their employers and work year-round. After completing an INCAP program, graduates can decide to enter the workforce or attend college. If they launch a career, they’re prepared to enter an in-demand field and have the option to continue industry-led education and training within INCAP. If they go to college, they may be able to complete a college degree in fewer years because INCAP degrees and credentials in related fields are recognized as college credit. For more information, visit IndianaCAP.org