Employer Success Story

Submitted By: Bill Bettencourt, Sierra Joint Consortia
Consortium: Sierra Joint Consortium

Placer School for Adults builds partners, programs and job placements

Engagement Type(s): Internship, Other

The Challenge

Placer School for Adults (PSA) was facing a shortfall of training in the health care field when a statewide vendor serving adult schools went out of business. Many adult schools in the state had used the same vendor and were finding that they still needed to offer medical assisting when the company closed. PSA was determined to bring it back, and for less cost to the student than before.

The Solution

Placer School for Adults jumped into action to hire a credentialed teacher from the industry. PSA then needed and hired an instructional assistant, Penny, who came through the course as a student, referred and employed by Sutter Health. After finishing the course, Penny was hired to support the growing numbers of students in the program. The course is structured as an 18-week course that meets two nights per week. It is designed for the serious adult, as a “no-nonsense” course at half the cost of the previous vendor. PSA still maintains excellent rigor and has trained students with a pass rate of 89 percent on the national certification test. The evening class provides adults the ability to work during the day and train for a new career two nights per week. The course needed industry partners to provide externships for students and PSA reached out to the region.

Outcomes

The story gets better. The first externship placement was in Weimar, California, a short drive up I-80, as you leave Auburn, heading to Tahoe. Stallant Health was happy to take the first externship placement. Placer's students have reported back that Stallant provided an excellent and caring learning environment. After the student completed the externship, she was then hired by Stallant Health. Since that semester (about two years ago), the care provider has taken more externs and hired six more Placer students. With a good track record and training outcomes, PSA has added more health care providers to the list for externship placements, including Sutter Health, Kaiser and other local smaller clinics in the region.