ECC Offering Program to Earn CNA Certificate

East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) is offering a new training opportunity to anyone interested in working in the health care field.

The CWD will hold a pre-apprenticeship program to obtain a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification. The health care “boot camp” begins with an orientation Wednesday, April 13, and will run through July 15.

Sessions will be held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the ECC Training Center (ECTC) on the Union campus.

The first six people to complete paperwork and fully register for the training program can participate at no cost to them.

Participants must be 18 years or older at the start of the program. For more information or to sign up, email Terri Warmack at Terri.warmack@eastcentral.edu or call 636-584-6531.

In addition to the CNA certificate, students will gain skills that area health facilities need for their employees, such as customer service, behavioral health review and CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation), according to Warmack, health care coordinator for the CWD.

“The curriculum for this training program was designed with area health care facilities in mind,” she said.

Once the pre-apprentices finish the program, participants will have the opportunity to continue their education into a registered Certified Medication Technician (CMT) apprenticeship program at ECC.

“Health care facilities in this area, and throughout the St. Louis region, are need of trained workers — our program provides the entry-level skills and certifications for the pre-apprentice to be successful,” Warmack said.

She noted that the curriculum will prepare people to care for clients in long-term care facilities, hospitals and home health agencies.

“We provide specific training that will allow for varying health care facilities in the area to start workers at a higher level of competency,” Warmack added.