BUCKHANNON – Fred Eberle Technical Center offers a therapeutic services program under the guidance of instructor Tammy Ross. In the program, students learn to be certified nursing assistants and phlebotomists.
“Certified nursing assistants are in great need,” Ross said, pointing to shortages in West Virginia and elsewhere. “Students learn to care for patients – how to move them in the bed, how to wash their hair, how to make beds and many other skills.”
Once students graduate, they test for their certification. The school prepares students not only for that test, but also for entering the workforce.
“They learn to make a resume and how to do an interview,” Ross said. “Our students are in great need. If they want to work, there is work for them.”
Kessa Curtis and Brooklyn Bryant, both students at Buckhannon-Upshur High School, said they enrolled in the therapeutic services program to learn more about jobs in the medical field.
Kessa said she is enjoying the program, which takes two years to earn a certification.
“Whenever I graduate from this program, I will be a certified phlebotomist,” she said. “I can go to one of the hospitals and get a job.”
Brooklyn said taking the FETC health services program was a no-brainer for her because she has always enjoyed taking care of other folks.
“I like taking care of older and younger patients,” Brooklyn said. “I have many family members in the medical field, and this is always something I have wanted to go into.”
Through the training offered at FETC, Brooklyn said she has learned how to properly care for patients. She now knows how to safely move them around, how to take blood and much more.
“In the future, I want to come back to FETC and take the LPN class,” she said. “And, while working as an LPN, I want to work online to earn my Registered Nursing license.”
Kessa said she would encourage students to enroll in the therapeutic services program for many reasons.
“First of all, it has an amazing teacher,” Kessa said. “You learn so much and it is a great program. I love it here.”
Brooklyn agreed, saying the faculty at FETC are top-notch.
