The one thought that resonates throughout the Health Careers Department at Highbridge is how the last 20 years of the Nurse Aide Training Program has had a great impact in the community.

Each year, we train as many as 180 students to complete and become certified as a Nurses Aide. Our rigorous 22-week program is unique in the sense that it offers the basic education needed for students in the neighborhood as well as in some of our surrounding boroughs. This component is what helps our students achieve completion, certification and employment.

Our applicants are provided a variety of services. Intake registration involves a series of testing (TABE) and document screening. During our interview process, we carefully screen and select the potential student. Certified Nurse Aide is a unique profession and we want to make sure it is a path that the applicant is ready to take. Once the applicant is accepted, we provide pre-employment, job development case management, post-employment and retention and follow-up services.

Our facility offers skills' training through a nursing home set up that is approved for state testing. Our graduates are also prepared for the state exam not only through class instruction, but also through a clinical experience which allows them to implement hands-on training at a partner facility.

Once our students become certified, they work closely with our Employment Specialist to obtain employment. Our partner employers are pleased with our students since many of the students obtained their clinical experience at the actual facility.

Our graduates are kept connected with Highbridge through our post employment services which include updating of their resume, retention counseling and our Patient Care Technician course.

There are many health-care professionals who started their careers as certified nurse aides. It is a valuable foundation that the people of the Highbridge community use to enter the health field whereas without it they may have never been given the opportunity.