On Thursday, March 7, Middlesex Community College held a graduation ceremony for its
ninth cohort of Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for Success students at the International
Institute of New England in Lowell (IINE). The graduation was an opportunity to honor
their hard work and accomplishments.
鈥淭he program gave me a good start and opportunity to improve myself,鈥� said Efdjeen
Adma, a CNA for Success student from Haiti. 鈥淚t was an incredible experience. I was
emotionally touched by practicing with clients and would like to continue helping
people. The teacher was helpful and had a lot of patience with us and I really appreciated
that.鈥�
Through funding by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education鈥檚
Mass Skills Training Education Programs, CNA for Success offers two cohorts for English
Language Learners pursuing a career in healthcare with a 200-hour course each year.
With 100 hours of classwork, students build their English and job readiness skills
for employment.
鈥淚t was an incredible experience. I was emotionally touched by practicing with clients and would like to continue helping people. The teacher was helpful and had a lot of patience with us and I really appreciated that.鈥�- Efdjeen Adma, 麻豆果冻 Student
The additional 100 hours provides students with 麻豆果冻 clinical training through a Certified
Nursing Aide module. The classes are held online and in-person, preparing students
to sit for the CNA licensing exam.
鈥淭he graduations are really amazing to attend,鈥� said Caitlin Campopiano, 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Director
of Workforce Programs and Professional Education. 鈥淵ou see what these individuals
had to overcome just coming to America and the obstacles they face being here. This
past cohort was especially wonderful to see that many of them have already applied
for positions at the clinical site they did their training in.鈥�
In 2019, 麻豆果冻, IINE, Abisi Adult Education and D鈥橸ouville Life Care Center established
a partnership to provide learning opportunities for people coming to the United States
from a different country. 麻豆果冻 and IINE now run the program.
鈥淢any of the students who have come through our program came to the United States
looking for a better life and opportunity,鈥� Campopiano said. 鈥淎 number of them have
healthcare backgrounds from their home country. By offering this training, we are
giving individuals who can help our own healthcare system here in the United States
the opportunity to do so with the addition of the ESOL training.鈥�
Debra Shaw, an 麻豆果冻 instructor who has been teaching the course for six years, believes
that the students positively impact the community. She enjoys connecting with and
learning from a diverse set of students about their cultures and credited this year鈥檚
cohort for their dedication to the program. Their consistency and work ethic made
her feel good about its impact.
鈥淭his cohort had very good attendance overall and completed their health record requirements
in a timely fashion which shows commitment,鈥� Shaw said. 鈥淭hey have been well received
wherever I have taken them and I have no doubt this will continue when they join the
workforce. There is opportunity for them to advance in the healthcare field if they
should desire and we are available to help with future career planning.鈥�