ECC Honors Healthcare Graduates

Graduates of Edgecombe Community College’s Health Occupations program were honored by the College during a January 31 recognition ceremony.

Graduates of Health Occupations programs at Edgecombe Community College were honored by College staff, family, and friends during the annual Health Occupations Recognition Ceremony held January 31.

More than 200 students completed programs in Community Health Coach, Introduction to Direct Care, Direct Care Basics, Medication Aide, Medication Aide Trainer, Nurse Aide I and II, Nurse Aide I Refresher, Phlebotomy, and Personal Health Care Aide State Training. Some students completed more than one program and earned multiple credentials.

Since Community Health Coach began in 2016, more than 100 students have completed the program, which trains lay persons to become advocates for healthy behaviors in their communities.

The College partners with the Opportunities Industrialization Center and the Workforce Development Board to offer the Personal Health Care Aide State Training (PHCAST).

PHCAST is a 232-hour program for the unemployed or underemployed. Training includes three phases: Intro to Direct Care, Direct Care, and Nurse Aide I. Forty-four students enrolled in these phases in 2018, an increase from 28 students in 2017.

ECC continues to offer the Nurse Aide program at Tarboro High School. Thirty-six students have completed the NAI, NAII, and CPR certifications since the program began four years ago. Many of these graduates have entered ECC following graduation from high school to pursue a healthcare career.

“We are very proud of these graduates and applaud their efforts to enter the heathcare field,” says Toria Moore, chair of Health Occupations. “We all are working toward the same goal: creating a skilled workforce and supporting people who have a genuine interest in improving their lives.”