Summer Nurse Aide Course Offered to Youth

Print Story | Email Story
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.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Multiple Departments Respond to Lanesborough Structure Fire

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Multiple fire departments responded to a structure fire off Narragansett Avenue on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Fire Department received a call from the owner of 6 Bangor St. reporting a smoke and flames at around 1:44 p.m.

Firefighters arriving on scene reported heavy smoke emanating from the the 1940s single-family ranch home in the thickly settle neighborhood.

The blaze was brought under control in less than an hour and there were no civilian or firefighter injuries. 

"The homeowner was outside doing some work, evidently, opened the door when she came back in the house, and there were flames and smoke, so she backed out and called us, and that's all we know right now," Deputy Fire Chief Glen Storie said around 2:35 p.m. 

The fire was out at that time, and first responders observed "quite a bit of damage" to the home. The cause is still under investigation. 

Lanesborough, Cheshire, and Pittsfield departments responded to the scene, and Hancock covered the station during the call. 

"The first crew in knocked the fire right down with the first engine," Storie said. 

Smoke could be seen coming from the back of the home. Part of Narragansett Avenue and Bangor Avenue were blocked off while firefighters battled the blaze. 

 

View Full Story

More North County Stories