Our First Pre-Apprenticeship Grads!
“Before this class, I didn’t know how to start my career…
I learned a lot for my career and how to reach my goal.”
We are so proud of our clients who graduated from our very first class of Healthcare Pre-Apprenticeship Training (now known as Avenues to Career Training (ACT)).
We celebrated on November 30, 2018, with lunch and each of our eight graduates shared a PowerPoint presentation about their journey and goals. They shared which medical training they plan to pursue and why they selected it. Students were tested at the beginning and end of the program, and 87% of students demonstrated improvement in their math, reading and writing skills.
They are preparing for their next steps, which include medical training and/or apprenticeship and pursuit of their first job in their selected field. Our team will stay with them along the way to provide guidance and support.
Some of the comments we received from the graduates include:
- “This class was helpful and inspired me.”
- “I value my future more from taking this class.”
- “Before this class, I didn’t know how to start my career, but…I learned a lot for my career and how to reach my goal.”
- “All the lessons were helpful, and I learned new [medical terminology], and the teacher explained in an easy way.”
- “Learning about different healthcare jobs was a lot of help.”
The Healthcare Pre-Apprenticeship Program offers the necessary foundation for Fairfax County residents to pursue better-paying jobs in healthcare fields where there is a great need for skilled workers. It is a pilot program formed in partnership between Britepaths/Financial Empowerment Center at South County (FECSoCo) and Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development, and is funded through the Fairfax County Community Funding Pool. Initial client recruitment was focused on Department of Housing clients in the South County area.
Britepaths’ Workforce Development Director Sally Meyer and Housing Services Specialist III Lura Bratcher organized and oversaw the classes and clients’ cases. This cohort began their 12-week session on September 10, attending classes Monday through Friday. Britepaths’ Adult Basic Education Instructor Kristie Kleha provided their primary instruction, incorporating job readiness skills with the enrichment of math, reading and writing that are contextualized for healthcare.
The students also had sessions each week in Financial Literacy with volunteers from FECSoCo and in computer skills training with our partners from Computer C.O.R.E. Other enrichment opportunities included a visit to Northern Virginia Community College’s Clinical Simulation Lab, an overview of medical certifications that NVCC offers, guidance in applying for grants to fund their future training, and guest speakers who presented professional options in healthcare. The students also researched and took an interest assessment to help them determine whether to pursue work with patients or in administration. Click Here to Learn More About the Program
