Goodwill held graduation ceremonies earlier this month for its summer 2007 Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.) class at Goodwill’s Main Facility at 800 West Pacific Coast Highway.
Long Beach residents Riva Mcgee, Samantha Hill, Domonique Edison, and Lisa Jones received certificates of completion.
The program provides classroom, clinical training and prepares students to qualify to take the State of California Certified Nursing Assistant exam or other healthcare related tests. Accredited units may be earned toward the LVN and RN programs at Long Beach City College and Cal State Long Beach.
Sponsored by Cambrian Home Care, the Goodwill board of trustees and in partnership with the County of Los Angeles, Long Beach Regional Occupational Program and the CSULB nursing program, the course opens the door to a career in the healthcare industry.
Goodwill’s next CNA class, which is already filled with 35 students, will begin on Sept. 5. The next training cycle will be enrolling students this October for the Medical Core (Phase I) that begins in mid-January 2008.
Goodwill’s Workforce Development Department developed the C.N.A. program in 2005, at Carmelitos, a transitional housing community. This year Goodwill expanded the program by enrolling interested residents living outside the housing community as well as those residing at Carmelitos.
“This program is open to low-income youth between the ages of 18 to 21 who live in Long Beach or Signal Hill,” said LaVont’e Jackson, Goodwill’s employment services coordinator. “And is also open to low income residents who live in Southern Los Angeles County.”
An entry eligibility criterion does apply for the CNA training: no felonies; must have an eighth grade reading and math level; be a resident of Southern Los Angeles County; and must be 18 years of age or older. Financial assistance is available.
For more information, contact LaVont’e Jackson at (562) 435-3411, ext. 277.
