South Georgians struggling with unemployment can now get job training in Albany in a field struggling to find enough workers.
Certified Nurse Assistant job openings are plentiful.
Take a look at the help wanted pages, and you will see openings for nurse assistants. The American Red Cross is now offering nurse assistant training in Albany and urges people in need of a job to consider it.
Denise McCray learns the proper way to turn a heavy weight patient during American Red Cross nurse assistant training.
McCray was laid off from her previous job nearly one year ago, and found she needed job skills to land a rewarding profession.
"It's been kind of hard. You put in applications everywhere but nobody's answering. So just looking and looking. When I found out about this here at Red Cross, I took advantage of it," said Denise McCray, Nurse Assistant Trainee.
The American Red Cross nurse assistant training meets daily for four weeks and instructors say several employers keep in touch needing their graduates.
"Phoebe, the nursing homes in the area and a lot of the home health care have current job openings now. And it stays pretty steady with the market around here," said American Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Instructor Laurie Denham.
Nurse assistant training is becoming more often a requirement for admission into RN nursing education programs and the job opportunities are expected to increase in the future.
"Especially in long term care, as medical advances continue and of course people live longer, we have more and more older people and nursing homes are full. So it supplies jobs for a very long time," said Denham.
McCray is optimistic she will be able to land a quality job after her graduation. And she's glad it's more than just a job.
"Because I have a passion for taking care of people, and it's just something I wanted to do," said McCray,
Instructors say nurse assistant can be a tough job, but a very satisfying one, providing care to people in need. And the job opportunity is good and promises to be better in the future.
The cost for the American Red Cross nurse assistant training is $799, but they have received some donations that could help some with those tuition costs.
The next nurse assistant training class begins January 7th.
For more information call 229-924-2031 or email ganat@redcross.org.
