USES Offers New ESOL Home Health Aide Training Program

Image via flickr.com/myfuturedotcom

Boston, Mass. – September 22nd marks the launch of a new Home Health Aide (HHA) Training program through the Workforce Readiness program at United South End Settlements (USES). This new course will provide English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students at USES with an opportunity to apply their developing English language skills and build a foundation for a career in the healthcare industry.

Home Health Aids play a unique role in the health care industry. They enable patients to stay in their homes by providing personal support and services, monitoring the patient’s condition, and helping to educate the families of the patient.

“We are so excited to announce this new course,” says Director of Workforce Readiness Kate Lopci. “Our goal is to create caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality health and home care. We are striving to prepare compassionate and capable caregivers for long and rewarding careers in the healthcare industry.”

One of the greatest challenges immigrants face is obtaining skilled, gainful employment in their new, adoptive country. USES offers ESOL Level 2 and 3 classes to students who come from all over the world. Many of our students had a profession or trade in their home country, which unfortunately could not transfer into a viable career in the United States because of language barriers, a lack of recognition of foreign credentials, and other complications. The HHA program will now provide our students with an accessible and respectable career path.

“This is a great way for our student population to get their foot in the door for a promising career,” says Jessica Medeiros, Career Advisor and Job Placement Specialist for the Workforce Readiness Program. “We hope this course will allow them to move into other professions in the healthcare industry. It’s a growing field and has a bright outlook for our students.”

The first session of the HHA training is on September 22 and runs through December 15, 2015. Classes are Tuesday - Friday, 1:00 - 2:15pm.

For more information on the course, please click here or contact Patricia Gaquin at (617) 375­-8110 or pgaquin@uses.org.

###

About United South End Settlements
Originally founded as South End House in 1891, USES was the first settlement house in Boston and the fourth in the United States. Today, USES is fulfilling its commitment to equality and opportunity through our innovative, holistic model that enables personal success at every stage of life. Our extended family is an integrated team of thousands — participants, staff, volunteers, residents, community leaders and business partners.

For press inquiries, please contact Colleen George, Director of Development, at (617) 375-8143 or cgeorge@uses.org.