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Galt Adult School offers free tuition to qualified students
Residents can enroll for free in Galt Adult School training courses to become a medical assistant or emergency medical technician thanks to recently secured federal funding.
Director Karen Liu said the school received $175,263 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to offer training or retraining to a specific group of students.
Qualified applicants will receive tuition assistance, she added. "I want people to know that these training opportunities are available, and for people who qualify, the training is free."
The medical assistant program begins Monday. Classes will run Monday through Thursday, from 8:30-11:30 a.m., or 1 to 4 p.m. daily.
The occupational skills training is available to dislocated workers who have lost their jobs due to the failing economy, along with low-income individuals and displaced homemakers who need to learn skills in order to obtain positions that pay prevailing wages.
"In our present economy, we are providing individuals with the opportunity to receive skills and training to pursue actual careers, not just jobs. This is just another way Galt Adult School is 'Changing our Community through Education,'" Liu said, quoting the school's slogan.
It currently offers computer for older adults, citizenship preparation, and career and technical courses, among others, including English as a Second Language and GED equivalency.
The campus averages between 850 and 900 students per year, with most hailing from the Galt-Thornton-Acampo area. Some, however, come from as far away as Wilton, Courtland and even Rio Vista.
The adult school's medical assistant class is not a new program. It was offered during both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. Class sizes range from 15 to 21.
Currently, medical assistant students are completing externships at University of California, Davis Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, Sutter Memorial Hospital, and St. Mary's Clinic in Stockton. A graduation ceremony is scheduled for later this month.
The basic emergency medical technician training, however, is new this year. Liu is working with area paramedics Chris Schamber and Gary Volkman to develop and put into place this training program. Schamber is a Galt High School graduate who wants to teach the EMT class because he wants to give back to his community, Liu added.
The school, which is usually funded at about $750,000 annually, lost a large chunk of its funding heading into this school year due to statewide budget cuts, but the $175,000 grant will help offset that.
The basic EMT class should begin by month's end, and interested applicants should call the adult school at 745-5852 for more information.
The class is 204 hours in length, plus 10 hours of externship. It will be offered on Thursday evenings and every other Saturday.
Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.
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Reader Feedback
galtguy wrote on Oct 10, 2009 5:41 AM:
Now get the word out and let's get these young folks a skill set.
Once again, great job! "
ericasoriano wrote on Oct 10, 2009 3:06 AM:
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