Shirley Ware Education Center
The Shirley Ware Education Center (SWEC) has been providing education and training to community members and health care workers since its formation in 1998 by SEIU-UHW West with initial funding from the City of Oakland.
SWEC integrates its work with the SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund (the Education Fund). From its inception through to today, SWEC raises grants from public and private foundation sources to further this purpose.
Both SWEC and the Education Fund share identical Boards, jointly governed by labor and employee representatives. Rebecca Hanson serves as Executive Director of both organizations. See our Leadership(opens in a new tab) page for current Board of Trustees and staff leadership.
Honoring the Legacy of Shirley Ware
For over 25 years, the Shirley Ware Education Center (SWEC) has been a beacon of learning, enriching countless lives through education. Named after powerhouse union leader Shirley Ware, SWEC commemorates her legacy and continues its vital work alongside the SEIU-UHW & Joint Employer Education Fund. Join us in celebrating Shirley Ware’s remarkable legacy and the transformative impact of education.
25 Years of the Shirley Ware Education Center: Legacy of a Powerhouse
Shirley Ware, Labor Pioneer
Shirley Ware (1941-1998) was one of the first African-American women to lead a major California labor organization. She dedicated her life to the cause of helping workers and their unions, serving as Secretary-Treasurer of the Health Care Workers Union SEIU Local 250 from 1988 until her death from cancer at age 57. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Shirley came to California with her family at a young age and settled in Oakland. She attended Oakland’s Fremont High and Chabot Community College, where she earned certification as a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Taking a job in 1963 at an East Bay nursing home, Shirley quickly organized the facility into Local 250 and became a militant voice for fellow healthcare workers and their families. Shirley joined the staff of Local 250 in 1971, assuming a pioneering position as the first African-American woman field representative in the union’s history. Through the 1970’s and ’80’s, she represented workers in all facets of the healthcare industry, including Kaiser, nursing homes and hospitals, clinics and public hospitals.
Shirley rose to her top elected position in 1988 as part of the new Leadership Team of Local 250. As Secretary-Treasurer for 10 years, Shirley guided the union to financial health, managed a multi-million dollar budget and helped direct a staff of more than 100. She had a special talent for mentoring members, new and old, about the rich history and critical importance of unions. Shirley was an extraordinary teacher and a great woman who gave all she came in contact with the inspiration to change things for the better. Her memory is forever etched in the hearts and minds of all who knew her and her spirit lives on through the work of SWEC.
Recent Grants
HRTP Resilient Workforce Program – SEIU-Community Clinics Partnership
$13.3 million to be paid over 3 years. This funding is supporting seven Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and four SEIU locals in the development and delivery of upskilling and advancement opportunities for more than 2,000 workers who serve California’s most vulnerable populations. Through this project, the Shirley Ware Education Center has established partnerships with Community Health Centers and affiliate unions to identify the highest priority workforce needs including clinical supervision, continuing education, professional development, career pathways and registered apprenticeships. SWEC brought the Health Centers on as subrecipients for the grant to maximize their flexibility and agency in designing and delivering programs to their workers while increasing their revenue in the face of uncertainty in the federal funding landscape. This funding will also support the development of a Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) that will convene a leadership team, survey FQHC workers(opens in a new tab), commission a white paper that will summarize current and future funding opportunities for community-based Health Centers and seek additional funding to sustain this partnership beyond the grant period.
Employment Training Panel – High Skill Training
Created in 1982 by the California State Legislature, the Employment Training Panel provides funding to assist in upgrading the skills of incumbent workers through training that leads to high quality jobs. Beginning December 2021, the Shirley Ware Education Center was awarded $1.1 million to support the development of trainings for 312 Medical Assistants, LVNs, Radiology Techs and Surgical Techs based in California. This remains a key opportunity to leverage a previously untapped public funding source to support our career advancement training.
High Road Training Partnerships 2024 – Healthcare: Registered Nurse Pathways Through Public Education Partnerships
SWEC was awarded a $5M grant from the California Workforce Development Board to broaden and expand its options for learners in the nursing career lattice. Beginning July 2025, this two-year grant will support over 500 learners who will receive Tuition Support, Continuing Education and Associate Degree in Nursing Pathways at California Community Colleges. This project will support Education Fund eligible learners in addition to non-Education Fund eligible public sector SEIU 1021 and SEIU 521 members that we engaged through our “Expanded Partnerships” grant. We will also continue to support Federally Qualified Health Center learners whose employers and unions are participating in the newly-formed Labor Management Cooperation Committee that was started through SWEC’s “SEIU-Community Clinics Partnership” grant. This project represents an exciting investment in comprehensive career advancement services for nursing job titles that continue to be among the most high-demand in California and nationally.