MCALLEN, Texas - South Texas College is winning national acclaim for its new nursing apprenticeship program.
South Texas College, along with partner DHR Health, held a ceremony last week to celebrate the establishment of a groundbreaking nursing apprenticeship program for STC students.
The program will provide individuals pursing an associate’s degree in nursing the opportunity to earn a minimum of $14 an hour to train at DHR Health while completing their courses and clinicals.
As reported by Rio Grande Guardian International News Service senior reporter Patricia Martinez, the new program has been approved under the regulation of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship.
Martinez pointed out that it is the first program of its kind in the country that specifically aims to mitigate the nationwide nursing shortage by alleviating the financial burden many students face. Participants that complete 4,000 hours of relevant work experience will additionally receive a certificate from the DoL, boosting their desirability in the job market.
STC President Ricardo Solis is thrilled that the nursing apprenticeship program has secured national attention and cited, by way of example, coverage in Community College Daily.
“This is one of the many articles published throughout the entire state and nationally,” Solis told the Guardian. “We made headlines throughout the nation. Our community college is innovative and is impacting the health industry.”
The article in Community College Daily is headlined, “Making headway in nursing apprenticeships.” It is authored by Delaware-based reporter Jim Paterson.
Here is how the article starts:
South Texas College( STC), with its five campuses and two learning centers dotting the map along the Rio Grande in the rural southern tip of the state, has become the first college in the country to be certified by the U.S Department of Labor (DOL) for its nursing apprenticeship program.
The program, part of the college’s thriving Division of Nursing and Allied Health, which enrolls 1,100 largely first-generation students, will allow about 20 students next fall to earn at least $14 an hour while they get one-on-one rotations with nurse mentors in clinical experiences as part of their two-year associate degree in nursing (ADN).
“This partner apprenticeship program is a practical, sustainable solution to address the nursing shortage in our community, but, hopefully, this also will be an example and a national model for others to follow,” said Jayson Valerio, dean of the division, who noted that there is a critical, growing shortage of nurses nationally and in his region, where STC estimates that 11% of nursing positions now are unfilled.
The story goers on to say:
“The designation for South Texas by the Labor Department is huge,” said Rick Garcia, CEO of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN), an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges. “It is a significant win for the college and the community college system, which is such a critical part of nursing education and the nursing profession.”
He noted that such paid apprenticeships provide financial support that is crucial to nursing students often struggling to fit work, a rigorous nursing academic program and life commitments into their schedule.
“Too often, community colleges have not been recognized for the work they do for their students and in the communities they serve day in and day out,” Garcia added. “Nursing is one of the areas where that is the case. This puts a spotlight on and supports a program that is providing high-quality nursing education and training to a healthcare sector where it is critically needed.”
Editor’s Note: Click here to read the full story in Community College Daily.
Editor's Note: The Guardian also secured audio interviews with STC's Kim Moore and Leo Garcia about the college's highly regarded apprenticeship program. Click here to listen to them.
