In October 2010, eleven volunteer doctors, nurses, and administrative staff from Scripps Mercy Hospital visited the San Diego Job Corps Center and spoke with students about careers in the health care field.  Among the groups in attendance were students in the center’s School of Health Care Program.

Job Corps’ Health Care Career Pathway offers student training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.   Students complete health care theory and clinical work to be able to manage patient’s physical, social, and emotional needs.  Graduates are certified through the state of California.  Medical Office Support training is also offered to students.  Students are trained in an area of specialization including Medical Administrative Assistant, Billing and Coding Specialist, and Medical Transcriptionist.  Graduates may obtain a nationally-recognized certification.

“We have an excellent relationship with several hospitals who hire our graduates,” advised Artina Schoenen, LVN, one of three Health Care instructors at the Job Corps.  “We appreciated the staff volunteers taking time from their busy schedules to share information with us.  Our students were impressed by their personal stories, and the wide range of careers in the health care industry.  I’ve been working here for six months and am impressed with the quality of our students and their perseverance in pursuing their goals,” Artina added.  “We’ve expanded our program to help meet the national demand for health care workers.  More students than ever at Job Corps now have the opportunity for excellent life-long careers.”

At the end of their presentation, Scripps Mercy Hospital presented Job Corps with a gift memorializing their partnership with the center.  “It was very kind and generous of them,” Ms. Schoenen stated.  “Our students and my fellow instructors are proud of our relationship with the hospital.”