A partnership between the Montevideo High School, CCM Health, Minnesota West, and the National Guard has received a $15,000 LYFT Career Pathways Innovation award that will provide a foundation class meant to provide students with a strong beginning knowledge base for most healthcare careers. Students will continue to build on their knowledge as they progress in their future career paths. This academic foundation coupled with career experience opportunities will give support to their strength as a candidate for future career roles. We anticipate the students will continue into a career in the healthcare field. These are high-demand and higher paid occupations, therefore allowing the student to be economically stable and contribute to their community.

A new year-long course titled Foundations of Medical Careers 1 will be delivered in person within the Montevideo High School. Our business and higher education partners will provide educators who can deliver the academic coursework. The course will include the “classatory” will be a classroom with a functioning lab, complete with medical beds, manikins and equipment related to the coursework. Lab days will be completed on site at CCM Health. Students will complete training to obtain their First Aid/ CPR, Nursing Assistant and Trained Medication Aide certifications by the end of the course as well as a medical terminology course and completion of an internship within the community. Students can earn nine college credits along with the high school credit. The business partners will provide financial support and guidance to ensure the program will meet necessary requirements necessary in the workforce. The instruction will be coordinated through business and organization partners.

The business partners will also provide students with career exploration opportunities such as short-term job shadows and career internships.

Our employer partners will be training their own workforce and getting to know them well. Our students will interact with industry professionals and potential employers regularly. The students will put academic learning into hands-on practice daily. The opportunity to offer this within our high school will ensure students have the support and encouragement to be successful in class. Since this class will be built into the high school schedule, there will be less conflicts with required classes and electives than if they were to seek the training elsewhere. The different certifications they will work towards earning will make them employable, provide a career path and/or a very strong foundation with which to build a career in any area of health care.

For more information contact Kati Birhanzl at Montevideo Public Schools.