Essex County College and Healthcare Employers District Places Students at Major Hospitals – TAPinto.net
NEWARK, NJ — For another year, New Jersey Healthcare Employers District 1199J’s partnership with Training Inc., at Essex County College placed 100% of its students in apprenticeships with major hospitals and medical centers across New Jersey.
The group of 10 youths – four men and six women – are currently employed at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston; Daughters of Israel in West Orange; St. Ann’s Nursing Home in Jersey City; and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Jersey City.
Since 2008, 1199J has provided pre-apprenticeship opportunities that connect young people with mentors in the medical field as they pursue certifications along the CNA career path. Training Inc., Essex County College provides students with certified nursing assistant training (CNA).
“We always mentor our students because we understand that just giving someone a certification doesn’t mean they’re going to be successful, so we make sure that we’re there to assist them, provide them those soft-skills development and professional development,” said Stephanie Harris-Kuiper, executive director of District 1199J AFSCME Training and Development Fund.
Starting in June, participants attend a Summer Bridge Program at 1199J to get their reading and writing skills up to college-level. Following their summer-long program, the students begin their CNA certification at Training Inc. in August.
1199J then places each student in an apprenticeship where they continue their professional learning and development at union-affiliated and non-affiliated hospitals and health centers across New Jersey.
While in their part-time apprenticeship, the students are also encouraged to register for at least 13.5 college credits at local colleges in Essex, Union and Hudson counties and many more to support their post-secondary education.
When they complete their 2000 hours of training, plus 144 hours of related technical instruction, they receive a career credential from the US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeships.
Mentorship is built into 1199J’s approach, so students are surrounded by professional guides as well as academic supports around registration, socio-emotional health and any housing or financial support they may need.
“The system is challenging to navigate, so that’s where we come in,” Harris-Kuiper said. “We walk them through this process. We try to break down those barriers, so they don’t get discouraged from applying themselves and exploring new career pathways.”
Training Inc., Essex County College is a member of the Newark Youth Workforce Collaborative, Newark’s first collective approach to creating a school-to-workforce pipeline. And as the backbone of the Collaborative, Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) works to support its partner programs with data, strategy and fundraising.
The program, funded by the New Jersey Department of Labor, is currently limited to 20 applicants per session, due to limited funding and the high demand for instructors. The success of the 1199J program is largely attributed to its investment in a support system for young people while growing their skillset. Not only are young people working toward an in-demand career pathway, but they’re also developing their soft skills as professionals.
“The results that Mitra [Choudhury] and her team are able to achieve year after year speak for themselves,” NOYN CEO Robert Clark said. “This program serves as a testament to what’s possible when funding meets evidence-based approaches to reconnecting young people with education and the workforce. We look forward to our continued partnership with Training Inc. as we work to increase the number of high-quality seats available for opportunity youth.”
This article has been updated with additional information from New Jersey Healthcare Employers District 1199J to accurately reflect its involvement in the program.