HANCOCK - The Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Health Careers and CTE Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) programs are helping to shape the future of healthcare by training the next generation of professionals through hands-on, minds-on learning and strong community partnerships.
A key part of this success is the dedicated program advisory committee that helps guide and support these CTE programs. This committee includes CCISD CTE staff, students, parents, and healthcare representatives from Aspirus Keweenaw, Canal View - Houghton County, PortagePointe Long-Term Care, Upper Great Lakes Family Health, UP Health System Portage, and more. Together, they ensure students receive high-quality training to meet workforce needs.
The advisory committee's strength comes from the partnerships between the CCISD and local healthcare providers. These partnerships oversee a well-rounded curriculum emphasizing classroom instruction, real-world experiences, lab practice, and leadership opportunities. By working together with local healthcare professionals, the advisory committee helps keep the programs up-to-date and relevant.
"The partnerships we've built through our advisory committee are critical to the success of our students," said Amanda Hermanson, BSN, RN, CTE Health Careers Instructor for the CCISD. "These relationships help us offer curriculum and experiences aligned with industry needs. Our students get exposure to the real world of health care, which helps them decide if it is the right career path for them, and if so, to transition more smoothly from the CTE classroom to the post-secondary classroom and ultimately the workforce."
One component of the state-approved CTE Health Careers and CTE CNA programs is Work-Based Learning (WBL) placements, coordinated in part by Joe Zerbst, CTE Student Services Coordinator. The WBL placements allow students to experience various healthcare settings, like CTE CNA students shadowing nursing professionals at Canal View - Houghton County or CTE Health Careers students observing clinical laboratory operations at UP Health System Portage. Classroom and WBL experiences help students build skills and confidence to pursue successful healthcare careers.
“Through attending the Health Science Advisory Committee meeting I've learned a lot about what employers are looking for when hiring and the types of certifications I should be looking for if I want to stand out. It also was an inspiring opportunity to see how so many different organizations can come together under one united goal to help support one another,” said Maggie Henquinent Health Career Student at Houghton and member of the advisory committee.
The WBL program is one of the four main components of a state-approved CTE program, alongside classroom instruction, lab learning, and student leadership through organizations like HOSA - Future Health Professionals. The instructors and advisory committee ensure these components work together to effectively help prepare students for the workforce.
The partnership between the CCISD and local healthcare organizations extends beyond work-based learning. The advisory committee also encourages student involvement in HOSA, which helps students build leadership and technical skills for healthcare careers. Through HOSA, students participate in competitions, attend conferences, and engage in leadership training, developing essential skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
The CCISD CNA and Health Careers programs from Houghton County and Baraga County recently traveled together to Marquette to participate in the Northern Michigan University (NMU) School of Clinical Sciences "Open Lab Day," where students explored clinical labs and saw various healthcare careers firsthand. Students interacted with professionals, observed new technology and participated in hands-on activities. "Experiences like the NMU Open Lab Day are invaluable for our students," said Hermanson. "They see what health care professionals do and understand the passion and dedication needed to succeed."
The advisory committee's collaboration with local healthcare providers and educational institutions helps ensure that the CTE Health Careers and CNA programs meet industry needs. By giving students work-based learning opportunities, real-world lab experiences, and leadership activities, the committee is helping shape the future of healthcare in the Copper Country and beyond. It ensures that students learn the technical skills needed while also understanding the importance of compassionate care.
"Our advisory committee is an invaluable part of our program," said Hermanson. "Their input, along with our partnership with local healthcare organizations, helps us create a supportive and challenging environment for our students. Through their involvement in HOSA and opportunities like NMU's Open Lab Day, our students are gaining the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in future health sciences careers."
The collaboration of the advisory committee, local healthcare providers, and educational institutions shows the power of partnership in education. By working together, they create pathways for students to confidently pursue further post-secondary education or in the case of CNA, enter the healthcare field when they earn their certification, equipped with the skills and experiences needed to thrive.