ECC Offering Second Health Care Pre-Apprenticeship Program

ECC Offering Second Health Care Pre-Apprenticeship Program

October 20, 2021 |

Another pre-apprenticeship program for those interested in entering the health care field will begin next month.

The two-month “boot camp” is designed to provide the necessary job skills for a career in health care, as well as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification.

In addition to the CNA certificate, students also will gain skills that area health facilities need for their employees, such as customer Service, behavioral health review and CPR.

The pre-apprenticeship program comes at no cost to participants, and it will prepare people to care for clients in long-term care facilities, hospitals and home health agencies. Participants must be 18 years or older at the start of the program.

An orientation will be held Tuesday, Nov. 2, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the ECC Training Center (ECTC). The registration deadline is Nov. 9, but participants are encouraged to register prior to the orientation.

Boot camp classes also will be held in the ECTC on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Nov. 9 through Nov. 16. The CNA classes will be Nov. 18 through Feb. 25, also on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For more information or to sign up, email Gretchen Pettet or 636-266-2181. This program is limited to 15 participants.

“The curriculum is specifically designed with our area health care facilities in mind.” said Terri Warmack, health care coordinator for ECC’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD).

“At a time when facilities are in desperate need of workers, our program provides the entry level skills and certifications for the pre-apprentice to be successful, as well as helping the area’s facilities start workers at a higher level of competency,” she added.

A key to the program’s success is the engagement and involvement of local employers, such as Sunset Health Care Center, in Union. Once the pre-apprentices finish the program, they will have the opportunity to continue their education into a registered Certified Medication Technician (CMT) apprenticeship program at ECC.

The program is funded as part of a $75,000 MO Apprenticeship Ready Program grant from the Missouri Office of Workforce Development.