SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund

What SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund does

SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund is a nonprofit labor-management partnership trust, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that delivers education, training, and career advancement services to more than 100,000 eligible healthcare workers who are members of SEIU-UHW West and covered by collectively bargained agreements with participating employers. The Fund operates three core service lines: career counseling (skills assessment, career planning, job-to-job transition support, and TEAS exam preparation), education and advancement programs (college courses, tuition support, wage replacement, preparation courses, critical skills training, career pathways, apprenticeships, and advancement programs), and continuing education (CE classes, CEU reimbursement, CPR and AHA certifications, and NHA exam preparation). All programs are gated through the MyEdFund member portal and supported by facility-based Member2Member representatives and SMS messaging to drive enrollment and engagement.

Underlying technology is operational rather than differentiated: a secure member portal (MyEdFund) for counseling appointments and program sign-up, an SMS short code (30951) for direct member communication, and a separate RAMP reimbursement platform for tuition and CEU claims processing. The Shirley Ware Education Center operates as an affiliated nonprofit subsidiary extending the organization's training capacity. There is no disclosed proprietary AI, machine-learning, or data flywheel component in the technology stack.

The Fund's revenue model is a collectively bargained employer-paid benefit: contributions are negotiated into labor agreements between SEIU-UHW and participating healthcare employers, and the Fund administers those contributions to provide education benefits at no out-of-pocket cost to eligible members. Programs are offered as available based on demand, and the Fund's GTM relies on union partnership channels, employer partner facilities, and Member2Member representatives rather than consumer marketing. Operating geographies span Northern California (Oakland HQ), Southern California (Los Angeles), Sacramento, the South Bay Area (San Jose), Central Valley (Fresno), Colorado (Denver), Nevada (Las Vegas), and the Pacific Northwest (Portland).

Name

SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund

Legal name

SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund

Website

https://theedfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund is a nonprofit labor-management trust that delivers tuition support, career counseling, continuing education, and certification programs to more than 100,000 eligible SEIU-UHW healthcare workers across California, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon, funded by collectively bargained employer contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Education and Training Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

Keywords

• Healthcare workforce education
• Tuition reimbursement programs
• Career counseling services
• Continuing education training
• Labor management partnership

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Employer Contributions: The Education Fund is funded by collectively bargained employer contributions as an employer-paid benefit for eligible union members. Programs are offered as available based on demand.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund is a nonprofit labor-management partnership that provides education, training, and career advancement services to SEIU-UHW union members working in healthcare. The Fund offers tuition reimbursement, scholarships, career counseling, and continuing education programs delivered through the MyEdFund portal and an SMS platform, funded by jointly bargained employer contributions.

Product overview

The Education Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides education, training, and career advice services to eligible union members. It operates as a unified benefit program funded by collectively bargained employer contributions to serve over 100,000 healthcare workers. The core offerings include the MyEdFund member portal, Career Counseling services, Education & Advancement Programs (College Courses, Tuition Support, Wage Replacement, Preparation, Critical Skills, Career Pathways), Continuing Education (CE Classes, CE Reimbursement, CPR & AHA Certifications, NHA Exam Preparation), and Online Learning resources. These programs work together to support healthcare workers throughout their career journey from basic skills building to advanced certifications and career advancement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shirley Ware Education Center: A beacon of learning and empowerment, enriching lives and communities through education. Named after Shirley Ware, a powerhouse union leader. A nonprofit organization alongside the Education Fund.
• MyEdFund

Products and services

• Tuition Reimbursement Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported nearly 24,000 learners in 2025

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Futuro HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuturo Health is a partner organization that supports healthcare worker education and career advancement initiatives alongside the Education Fund.
• Kaiser PermanentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaiser Permanente partners with the Education Fund to provide career advancement, tuition assistance, and certification programs for their healthcare worker union members.
• Dignity HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDignity Health collaborates with the Education Fund to offer training, tuition assistance, and career advancement opportunities for staff.
• El Camino HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEl Camino Hospital partners with the Education Fund for talent development and employee education benefits.
• CHA Hollywood PresbyteriancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHA Hollywood Presbyterian partners with the Education Fund for staff training and career development support.
• Planned Parenthood Columbia WillamettecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned Parenthood Columbia Willamette partners with the Education Fund to support medical assistant education and certification for staff.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund: NYC-based labor-management training fund serving 1199SEIU healthcare workers through tuition assistance, career advancement, and apprenticeship programs. Operates the same jointly-trusted union-employer model for healthcare workforce development, making it a near-direct functional peer.
• 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds: Multi-fund education and benefits organization serving 1199SEIU healthcare workers in the Northeast. Provides tuition, career counseling, and apprenticeship-style training funded by employer contributions, closely mirroring the Ed Fund's labor-management structure.
• UNITE HERE Education Fund: Labor-affiliated education fund providing tuition assistance, ESL, and career training to UNITE HERE members across hospitality and healthcare. Comparable as a labor-management jointly-funded education benefit program with employer-paid tuition models.
• Shirley Ware Education Center: A pre-existing nonprofit education center for healthcare workers that now operates as a subsidiary/program of the Education Fund. Comparable as a legacy training center providing direct instruction to healthcare union members.

Emerging players

• Futuro Health: Nonprofit co-founded by SEIU-UHW West and Kaiser Permanente to expand pathways for healthcare workers into higher-paying roles. Already a strategic partner of the Education Fund, with overlapping mission and member base in California.
• Guild Education: Employer-paid education benefits platform partnering with large healthcare and service employers to deliver tuition assistance and career pathway programs. Comparable as a technology-enabled education benefit intermediary, though operating on a B2B SaaS model rather than a union-trust model.
• InStride: Workforce education benefits platform that partners with employers (including large healthcare systems) to provide funded tuition and apprenticeship pathways. Comparable in delivering employer-paid education benefits to incumbent workers, especially in healthcare.

Others

• UCLA Health Center for Nursing Excellence: Academic medical center-based workforce development program offering nursing and allied-health credentialing pathways with employer funding. Comparable as a healthcare system-led training initiative competing for the same employee development dollars.
• AFL-CIO Working for America Institute: Labor federation institute promoting apprenticeships and workforce development across affiliated unions, including in healthcare. Comparable as a labor-affiliated workforce and apprenticeship infrastructure provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EducationFund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund