ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — On the Cardiac Medical One floor at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Pete, registered nurse Dylan Hildabrand always finds a way to make his patients feel safe. 

“Hi Sandy, my name is Dylan, I am your nurse," he says while walking into one patient's room. 

“OK, let's go to listen to you," as he pulls out a stethoscope to listen to her heart and breathing. 

Hildbrand has been a nurse at St. Anthony's for two years. 

But his journey into health care actually began years prior, when he signed up to be a BayCare Teen Volunteer.

“I pass the volunteer room every day when I come in to work, so I see the room and I have that thought of, 'OK, this is where I started.' And it's it's just always a reminder to me," said Hildabrand. 

The longs-tanding program has resulted in many kids deciding to go into health care. But what is even more special, is when they apply to be BayCare employees. 

“When I get older, I want to be a pediatrician because I love kids," said Journey Beard, a Boca Ciega High School student. 

She and 500 other student volunteers just finished the summer program. 

Hildabrand remembers those days well, and so does Connor Coakley. 

Coakley was as student volunteer for years, and now is getting his undergraduate degree at the Universtiy of Tampa. In addition, he works at BayCare as they help pay for his education through a program called Earn As You Learn.

“It's a whole lot like boot camp where BayCare teaches you to do like everything that you need to do for, like tech, that you get your CNA. And that's what I'm thinking and doing," said Coakley. 

From volunteer opportunities to helping future employees with educational costs, BayCare has created a pipeline for people to return as employees.