Several young workers are preparing for a potential future in an Atlanta healthcare job.

The Healthcare Program, which is part of the Mayor’s Youth Program, has allowed several young workers to get a taste of a future in healthcare employment. In partnership with Atlanta Technical College, the program provides teenagers with a paid-training opportunity to become certified nursing assistants, patient care technicians and pharmacy technicians.

The Healthcare Program provides an introduction to the medical field for students looking to pursue a variety of careers. Students can earn college credit for their coursework and are provided with a weekly stipend. During the nine-week course, students complete clinicals at local Atlanta healthcare facilities and work with industry professionals to gain hands-on training and enhance their customer service skills.

For instance, Sadie G. Mays is one of the facilities that participates in the program. The facility primarily serves long-term patients who require 24-hour skilled nursing care. Sadie G. Mays currently houses about 200 seniors.

The program, which has been running since 2005, is meant to assist students in the Atlanta Public Schools system with creating and activating a plan to pursue post-secondary education or workforce training. Those who participate in the program receive training in their preferred occupation through summer internships and training opportunities.

This year, funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has made it possible for 1,500 students to take place in workforce training and employment opportunities through the Mayor’s Youth Program.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 3:32 pm and is filed under jobs, Healthcare. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.