The free program provides in-class learning and hands-on experience to help young adults aged 18-24 with non-traditional work or college paths start careers in healthcare.
Hostos Community College’s Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) proudly celebrates 10 years of a successful partnership with Phipps Neighborhoods and Montefiore Medical Center. This dynamic 10-week workforce development program has provided Bronx residents with essential healthcare training and career opportunities. When the program was founded in 2014, the Bronx faced an unemployment rate of 11.2%. Today, thanks in part to opportunities like this program, the rate has significantly decreased to 6.8%. This progress underscores the importance of such initiatives in creating pathways to stable, meaningful employment.
Since its foundation, this program has benefitted hundreds of Bronxites. It is designed to equip young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 with the skills necessary to secure employment in the healthcare sector while also offering pathways to further education and professional certifications.
"We are very proud and encouraged by our partnership with Phipps Neighborhoods, Inc. and Montefiore. For ten years now, we have enrolled close to 900 young adults in a Hostos occupational training course in healthcare,” said CEWD Vice President Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham. “These courses all produce an industry-recognized credential valued by employers and help the young adults transition to college at no cost, with supports in place to help them succeed."
Participants in this free program undergo three weeks of in-class learning, followed by six weeks of hands-on internship, ensuring they receive both theoretical and practical experience. Upon completion, graduates will have the opportunity to interview for jobs and earn professional certifications in areas such as Certified Medical Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, and Patient Care Technician.
In addition to career-focused training, participants receive stipends, CPR and first aid certification, and job readiness training, ensuring they are well-prepared to enter the healthcare field.
Eligibility for admission into the program includes:
- Age 18 – 30
- Interest in healthcare
- Possession of a high school diploma or high school equivalency
- Ability to pass a drug test and background check by the start of the internship
- Full vaccination status
- Availability Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
For more information about this program and how to apply, please reach out to CEWD. All the pertinent contact information is available
here.