Three health care programs, preparing students to earn accompanying licensing credentials, are being offered this fall by the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Division of Workforce Solutions and Community Education.
Drastically reduced tuition fees are available through the FastForward program, which provides short-term training to eligible Virginians in order to earn those industry credentials and certifications for the most in-demand jobs across the Commonwealth.
“If you’re looking for a new career or job opportunity, now is the time to register in a FastForward program at DSLCC,” says FastForward Career Coach Brooklyn Shehan. “With an abundance of financial assistance funding opportunities available, our FastForward programs have never been more affordable. It’s a wonderful opportunity to complete your training and obtain a new job in a high-demand occupation quickly.”
For more information about these health care programs and to register for a preferred class and financial assistance funding, contact Shehan at (540) 863-2848 or bshehan@dslcc.edu.
The course offerings include:
Certified Nurse Aide
Two Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) courses are scheduled, with the first beginning Monday, August 23, and ending November 9. The second begins Monday, October 11, and ends December 14. Both are hybrid courses, with in-person classes meeting on the DSLCC Clifton Forge campus, as well as online classes, and include 136 contact hours and a minimum of 40 hours of clinical experience.
CNAs provide patient care under the direction of nursing staff and help with basic patient hygiene. DSLCC’s program prepares students to sit for the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program exam, a certification recognized in Virginia.
Online lectures and in-person classes will be held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 9:30 pm. Clinicals will be held off-campus.
Pharmacy Technician
The Pharmacy Technician program, scheduled October 4 through December 15, prepares students to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. The 20 class sessions include online lectures on Mondays from 5:30 to 9:30 pm, and in-person labs, on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, meeting on the DSLCC Clifton Forge campus.
Pharmacy Techs work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist in performing tasks such as reading and dispensing prescriptions, dosage calculations and inventory control.
Massage Therapy
Two 500-hour Massage Therapy programs are being offered in two locations, both beginning on August 2: At the DSLCC Rockbridge Regional Center in Buena Vista, and also at the Roanoke Higher Education Center in Roanoke.
Licensed Massage Therapists aid in the general wellness of clients by manipulating muscles and other soft tissues of the body to relieve pain, help heal injuries, improve circulation and relieve stress.
Students who complete the training and pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam will be prepared to embark on a career in clinical massage.
For the Rockbridge area course, online lectures will be held on Mondays through Thursdays from 5:30 to 9 pm through December 8. In-person bodywork sessions will meet at the RRC on Tuesday and Thursdays from 8 am to 4 pm from December 9 through April 28, 2022.
The Roanoke area course will host online lectures Mondays through Thursdays, 5:30 to 9 pm, through December 8. In-person bodywork classes will meet Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5:30 to 9 pm, through May 5, 2022, at the Roanoke Higher Education Center, located at 108 N. Jefferson St.
More details are available at https://www.dslcc.edu/workforce.