MedCerts Welcomes Rafael Castaneda to Expand Healthcare Apprenticeships and Academic Partnerships

Castaneda brings 15 years in education to strengthen strategic workforce initiatives

MedCerts, a leader in online career certification training, announced today that Rafael Castaneda will serve in a new position as the Vice President of Workforce Development. Castaneda brings with him a wealth of experience in postsecondary education and will be instrumental in expanding MedCerts’s healthcare apprenticeship opportunities and its network of academic partnerships.

“I have always believed that education is the great equalizer,” said Castaneda. “I am thrilled to put that belief into action at MedCerts as we help students of all backgrounds on their journey to fulfilling careers and personal success.”

Before joining MedCerts, Castaneda served as the chief academic officer and dean of education at CBD College, a private two-year allied health college in Los Angeles. He also worked as a strategy and innovation leader for Jobs for the Future (JFF), where his focus was crafting connections between postsecondary actors and thought leaders.

Earlier in his career, Castaneda served as director of academic operations at the Katz School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Yeshiva University and as managing director of online operations for the University of Cincinnati’s UC Online program. He also served as director of strategic partnerships at Ed2Go, a subsidiary of Cengage Learning focused on noncredit, industry-recognized credential programs.

“This investment in leadership is part of MedCerts commitment to expand strategic partnerships with workforce agencies, employers, and academic partners,” said Jason Aubrey, CEO at MedCerts. “We look forward to having Rafael join the team as we advance our goals of helping employers build sustainable talent pipelines and helping more students build career pathways without breaking the bank.”

MedCerts delivers certification and career training through HD-quality video-based instruction, virtual simulations, games and animations, and on-the-job training through Experiential Learning Solutions and apprenticeships. Founded in 2009, MedCerts has become one of Inc.’s Fastest Growing Private Companies in America and has helped over 25,000 students gain credentials for new careers. MedCerts was acquired by Stride, Inc. in 2020. For more information about MedCerts visit https://medcerts.com/.

About MedCerts:

MedCerts – a Stride, Inc. company – is a national online training provider strengthening the workforce through innovative eLearning solutions. Focused on certifications in high-demand areas of Allied Healthcare and IT, it serves individuals from all backgrounds, including the military and their families, career changers and the under- and unemployed. MedCerts delivers certification and career training through HD-quality video-based instruction, virtual simulations, games and animations, and on-the-job training through experiential learning solutions. Since 2009, the company has developed over 35 career programs, trained and up-skilled more than 25,000 individuals across the country and partnered with over 500 American job centers and more than 1,000 healthcare organizations have MedCerts trained employees on staff. For more information, visit medcerts.com.