STCC CELEBRATES OPENING OF CNA LAB WITH RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
In a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Springfield Technical Community College on Dec. 14 celebrated the launch of the Workforce Development CNA laboratory.
With the new lab, STCC will increase training capacity of the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Plus program and help fill a demand for healthcare jobs in the region.
At an event at STCC’s Building 27, STCC President John B. Cook and staff welcomed regional healthcare leaders, as well as legislators and elected officials who were on hand to celebrate the college’s new lab. They took a tour of the new facility which includes high-tech patient simulators for students to use for training.
The construction of the new lab was completed with college operations funds. New state-of-the-art equipment was made possible with Perkins funding. Free-of-cost training to qualifying participants is being provided with funds from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Training Resources and Internship Networks (TRAIN) Program and the High Demand Workforce Training Grant. The total cost of the project, including funds for construction, design, equipment, materials and training, is about $2 million.
Gladys Franco, assistant vice president for Workforce Development at STCC, said students receive hands-on training at the new CNA lab, which includes six patient simulators. Students also train through clinical rotations at long-term care facilities.
“It’s an amazing course,” said Marianna Navarro Santiago of Springfield, a CNA student who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony. “I used to work in the healthcare field but I’ve been out of school for a while. Having a refresher course and an amazing teacher is helpful for me.”
Another student, Marcia Virgovuncan, said, “It’s been a tremendous journey for me. We have a wonderful teacher, Kathleen Nichols. I can’t wait to get out and take care of people. There are a lot of people out there who need our care.”
STCC understands the dire need for more direct care workers throughout the region. More than 500 unique job postings for CNAs and home health aides are posted in the region each year.
“With intentionality and planning diligence, STCC continues to make every effort to meet the need for healthcare workforce training. This investment brings an enhanced capacity in a field we know only continues to grow and expand,” Cook said.
The new CNA lab will enable STCC to increase training capacity (day, afternoon, evening, and weekends) of the CNA Plus program, which effectively translates to a new cohort starting about every six weeks. The program is designed to help students achieve a Certified Nurse Assistant Certificate, CPR Certification, Home Health Aide (HHA) Training Certificate, and Alzheimer’s & Neurological Disorders Training, which will expand participant placement opportunities.
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