Through the Camden County Workforce Investment Board, KRA is addressing two of the County’s most challenging workforce-services concerns–unemployed 16-to-20 year-old TANF Out-of-School Youth and unfilled Certified Nursing Assistant jobs–through a dynamic three-way business partnership.
Due to the high demand for healthcare services related to an aging and elderly population, especially those residing in assisted-living and dementia-care facilities and nursing homes, CNA-employment is projected to stay strong, which is driving the cost of training and credentialing programs beyond the reach of many jobseekers.
However, with the CCWIB providing tuition-financing, KRA/Camden was able to create the Education, Professionalism, and Entrance Into Certification Program, a promising career pathway for its TANF/OSY customers.
Students needing GED-certification to qualify for CNA training receive Education from KRA/Camden Instructors. Professionalism includes comprehensive workforce-prep services through Career Agents collaborating with partner, Image and Attitude–which also provides professional attire, if needed. And,Entrance and Certification are achieved through partner, Prep Institute, CNA training/credentialing provider.
Individual Strategic Plans, developed and monitored with each student, add tremendous value to the integrated-services approach employed by the KRA/Camden partnership. For some trainees, ISPs have proven to be essential to CNA-program completion, providing the motivation needed to stay focused on goal-attainment, i.e. a successful, self-sustaining career in a high-growth, in-demand industry.