BERKSHIRE COUNTY - Are you aged 16 to 20 and thinking about a career in healthcare? Are you still in school and looking for meaningful part-time work? Then consider a free Certified Nursing Assistant Program designed especially for Northern Berkshire youth – that will debut this summer at Sweet Brook Transitional Care Center in Williamstown.
The 75-hour course is an accelerated curriculum that prepares students to pass the state examination and begin a career in the healthcare industry as a Nurse Assistant. The classes and clinical experiences will run from July 13-24, 2009. Twelve (12) slots are available through a competitive selection process. In-school and out-of-school youth aged 16-20 living in Northern Berkshire towns are eligible to apply.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of nursing aides is expected to grow 14 percent to 20 percent faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. The Bureau also reports that, “many aides leave the occupation to attend training programs for other health care occupations. Therefore, people who are interested in, and suited for, this work should have excellent job opportunities.”
This special training course is made possible through a joint collaboration of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board’s Project HEALTH and Sweet Brook Transitional Care Center. The course, valued at over $700 per participant, is offered at no charge, thanks to the support of Sweet Brook and funding from the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund. WCTF funding comes from the Commonwealth Corporation through the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
Program information and an application can be accessed at www.berkshirereb.org or by calling Marya LaRoche, Project HEALTH Director, at 413-442-7177. The application deadline is May 29, 2009. Graduates of the program may have the opportunity for immediate employment – full or part time-- at local health care facilities. BCREB and Sweet Brook are both EEO employers.
