Careers in Healthcare with FloridaWorks

While many graduating seniors may have no idea what do to next, 22 East Side High School students are ready to enter the local workforce in a career that can grow with them.  Twice a week for the past month, the students have followed their regular school day with five more hours of class, learning to be Certified Nursing Assistants.  A position as a Certified Nursing Assistant allows the students to enter the nursing career ladder directly from high school, which may eventually lead to cerfication as either a Practical Nurse or a Registered Nurse.

FloridaWorks paid for most of the students’ tuition with Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) authorized by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).  ITAs allow the local workforce board to pay for training expenses needed to enter targeted occupations.  The other students’ training expenses were paid for through scholarships from Express Training Services, which also provided the training at a reduced rate.  Gainesville Fire Rescue donated First Aid and CPR cards for all the students.    

In lieu of a graduation ceremony, FloridaWorks Business Services invited local companies and organizations to speak with the students about employment opportunities on Wednesday, May 28.  Community members were encouraged to attend, and County Commission Chair Rodney Long and members of the Alachua County Black Nurses Association spoke to the students.

As part of FloridaWorks efforts to support these students and the growing local healthcare sector, FloridaWorks will host a Careers in Healthcare Job Fair on Thursday, July 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Santa Fe Community College’s Center for Economic Innovation and Development located at 530 W. University Ave.  Interested employers can contact Joe Johnson at GACC for more information.