CCAC to Hold Free Healthcare Careers Academy for High School Students
A high school student in the Healthcare Careers Academy practices using laboratory equipment as part of the program's educational activities.
Pittsburgh
The Community College of Allegheny County will hold FREE two-week Healthcare Careers Academy (HCA) sessions at the college's South Campus. The program is open to high school students in grades 10, 11 and 12 residing in the South Hills and Mon Valley areas. Session 1 will take place July 5 - July 7 and July 10 - July 13. Session 2 is July 19 - July 21 and July 24 - July 27. The sessions run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. Free weekly Port Authority bus passes are available, and free lunch and snacks are included. The registration deadline is June 23.
HCA is a summer experience that is designed to introduce high school students to family-sustaining career options in healthcare. Funded by the Jefferson Regional Foundation, the HCA project aims to empower students to increase their own economic mobility, and on a larger scale, improve the economic health of our region.
"HCA gives high school students a chance to explore the unlimited career opportunities available in healthcare. Today, these careers extend well beyond physicians and nurses - and many of the degrees and certificates can be earned affordably through a CCAC education," said Dr. Juel Smith, CCAC Associate Dean of Sciences and Director of CCAC Healthcare Careers Academy.
Students will gain hands-on experience through various activities, visit several CCAC Allied Health laboratories, shadow on-site in a hospital setting, find potential mentors within the field, and have discussions with hospital health care professionals about the important work that they do. Through critical thinking exercises, students will also be challenged to build the skills that form the basis of critical judgment, a key component for success in allied health and nursing career programs. In addition, the program will involve participants in a variety of soft skills exercises aimed at empowering them to overcome common barriers to success.
Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 23. To learn more and to submit an application, visit Healthcare Careers Academy, or for questions, email HCAcademy@ccac.edu.