BEMIDJI — The world of employment in the health care industry extends beyond the obvious roles of doctors and nurses.
Such a sentiment rings true for
Erin Echternach and Caitlin Eigenberg, who serve as human resources advisor and talent acquisition program administrator, respectively.
“I don’t have a background in health care,” Echternach said, “so when I came to Sanford, it was a little overwhelming seeing so many different types of jobs here that all work together to provide the best patient care possible.”
“If you had asked me when I graduated college what I thought I’d be doing (for a career), I was going to be the administrator of a nursing home,” Eigenberg said, “but then I fell into a career path of talent acquisition and found myself here. You can’t even understand the opportunities that exist here until you’re in it.”
For a select few, greater understanding of health care careers will come via Sanford’s Genesis Program, which provides apprenticeships to anyone interested in career exploration and finding their fit.
‘Passion for helping others’
Initially launched in Sioux Falls in spring 2024, the Genesis Program expanded to Fargo, N.D., at the start of 2025 and is now expanding to Bemidji and Bismarck for 2026.
With its namesake denoting “an origin, creation or beginning,” the program aims to expose participants to various health care careers through a rotating format over the course of three weeks.
Apprentices spend three days each in three different career areas of their choosing, which they prioritize out of five options during the application process.
“What we ask our candidates to do is rank those five opportunities from highest area of interest to lowest area of interest so we can try to rotate them between the three jobs that best suit their interests and career goals,” Eigenberg said. “It’s really a try-before-you-buy opportunity.”
Participating jobs for Bemidji include patient access representative, nursing assistant, environmental services technician, food service assistant and behavioral health rehabilitation assistant.
Selecting job areas to participate in the Genesis Program harkens back to a goal for apprentices to receive at least one job offer by the end of the program. Areas with high growth potential as well as jobs without strenuous qualification requirements are typically considered.
Even if an apprentice receives no offer by the end of the program, career coaching is available to navigate to a new role.
“We don’t need you to have relevant experience,” Eigenberg added. “We just need you to have a passion for helping others.”
Eigenberg looks at the Genesis Program as an extended interview.
“In order to really determine if a job is right for you, you need to experience it for at least 20 hours. When you’re reviewing a job on paper and sitting in a 30-minute interview, it doesn’t really give you the opportunity to experience the job as a whole,” she said. “This is a great chance to experience the entire capacity of the role and the team you’re working with.”
Echternach noted a similar benefit for staff who will ultimately make hiring decisions, with the program allowing leaders to see a candidate’s work on the frontline.
“A lot of times, our leaders have a very short time frame to interview candidates for positions,” Echternach mentioned. “When a candidate rotates through a department (through Genesis), the leader has three days to see if they’re a good fit or if there are other opportunities within Sanford they may be a better fit for. We’re trying to fit people where they are best suited.”
Among a bevy of questions from potential candidates, one question truly sticks out to Eigenberg: who should apply?
“Anybody,” she said. “If you are wondering if you are a fit for Genesis, submit your application. If you think you don’t have the experience or your resume isn’t the prettiest thing that’s ever existed, that’s OK. Genesis is here to find individuals who want to be in health care, not who looks the best on paper.”
Opportunities in health care
Echternach hopes the Genesis Program can serve as a springboard for a candidate’s career change, no matter what their role is.
“You could get your foot in the door as a Genesis Program participant, and then a year from now, see yourself in a completely different spot because of all the opportunities here in health care,” she left off.
Eigenberg reflected on her own career journey and the Genesis Program’s potential effects on all apprentices who make their way through.
“If you’re a fainter around blood like me, there are plenty of other opportunities for you,” she said lightheartedly. “Health care is a service, not a single role.”
Bemidji’s first cohort is set to begin on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Those interested should apply at
sanfordcareers.com/genesisprogram
by Wednesday, Dec. 31.
More information can be found on the