Are you 24 or over and looking for a career in the healthcare field?

LaGuardia Community College’s CareerPATH program is offering a free program starting in September 2012 for qualified students interested in becoming Community Health Workers (CHW). The program is 16 weeks in length with a required 2 month internship.

Medicine and Public Health - Exhibit on blood circulation, Digital ID 1677813, New York Public LibraryCareerPATH program will be hosting two information sessions in July for prospective students to learn more about the CHW program, as well as have an opportunity to immediately start the admissions process if interested in joining the training program. 

The two information sessions will be held on Tuesday, July 17th, and July 31st 2012 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm. In Room BA-18 at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY. Please call (718) 730-7569 to reserve your seat.

The requirements for participating in this program are as follows:

• At least 24 years of age
• Unemployed
• High School Diploma or GED
• Bilingual (preferred)
• Ability to read and write in English (must pass a screening test)
• Good physical health
• Eligible to work in the U.S.
• No criminal record
• Drug test clearance
• Not currently a college student

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are public health professionals who help bridge gaps between different populations and healthcare or social service systems by providing outreach, basic health education, referrals and follow-up service, case management, advocacy and home visiting services.

The following information will help you learn more about careers in public health:

Professionals in public health will work to improve the health and quality of life for entire communities and increase awareness of public health and safety issues in order to prevent illnesses and injuries.

Public health is a broad field that includes health educators, medical scientists, social workers and statisticians.

The following are facts on Health Educators form the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2012-2013:

• Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness.
• A bachelor’s degree in health education or health promotion is required for entry-level positions.
• The median annual wage for health educators was $45,830 in May 2010.
• Employment of health educators is expected to grow by 37 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations.

If you want to learn more about careers in public health, please visit the Job Search Central online or in person at the Science, Industry and Business Library at 188 Madison Avenue and 34th Street.