(Pictured: Gerda Tuffour, left, and Gisele Linyonga, right, are the first students to successfully complete the three modules of the Apprenticeship healthcare pathway)
Lewiston Adult Education Healthcare Apprenticeship Pathway, a 6-month series of courses designed for Multilingual Learners, resulting in multiple certificates for employment in the healthcare industry, is proud to announce the graduation and employment of its first CNA Apprenticeship students. The pathway includes a heavy emphasis on the English language of healthcare, covering reading technical text and case notes, writing incident reports, and workplace verbal communication, including extensive healthcare vocabulary.
Students also earn multiple certifications to support employment, beginning with Bloodborne Pathogens, teaching Pre-Apprentices how bloodborne pathogens are spread, how to avoid exposure, and what to do if exposed to infectious material. The next level in the Pathway is Personal Support Specialist (PSS), which includes effective language skills for work, and WorkReady (a state certificate that shows the students can understand and demonstrate 7 work skills competencies). Thirteen participants successfully passed these exams, and five of them are currently employed. Students can then become participants in the Certified Nursing Assistant pathway.
Partners in this employment pathway are the Lewiston CareerCenter which supports students eligible for training funds from the Dept. of Labor, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, and Clover Healthcare. Clover Healthcare offers the use of its facility as a clinical site for the required clinical hours of the course and is also a registered apprenticeship site for the students completing the course. Clover Healthcare has now hired these students and will be working with them as apprentices for the next year continuing training and support in the healthcare field. The Maine Apprenticeship Program assists in setting up structured yet flexible training programs designed to meet the specific needs of Maine employers through on-the-job learning and related classroom instruction.
The graduation ceremony was held at Lewiston Adult Education Learning Center on September 7, 2023. Family members, staff, and guests were in attendance to celebrate Gisele and Gerda’s success. A second cohort is scheduled to complete the program in early October, and a third just began in August. The next session will begin in March 2024.
For more information on the upcoming Apprenticeship healthcare pathway, please contact Josee Castonguay (207) 795-4100 x4136 or email jcastonguay@lewistonpublicschools.org.