Kim DaVeiga and Jacqueline White are two of the latest graduates of the Stepping Up Rhode Island program.
"We were a very good class. Our teacher said we're the best she had," DaVeiga said.
The program recruits motivated adults like DaVeiga and White who are interested in the health care field.
"It was seven weeks in the classroom teaching us basic skills and manners, and how to approach situations, how to deal with conflicts and then five weeks on internship, which we were expected to display what we have learned in the seven weeks of class," DaVeiga said.
"My dream is actually to be a coder, a licensed coder," White said.
A licensed medical coder interprets patient charts and translates them into code universally used in the health care industry.
DaVeiga said she wants to become a registered nurse.
"Our goal is to help community residents to become employed in entry level jobs at health care facilities, help them get in to college, get additional training, help them with their class planning, academic advising, individual life work, balance issues and help them get all the way through college so they can be in high growth, high demand and high paying health care jobs," said Alaina Johnson of Stepping Up Rhode Island.
White has two interviews at Rhode Island Hospital and is waiting to hear back. DaVeiga will be working in environmental services at Bradley Hospital.
Both look at the Stepping Up Rhode Island program as a stepping stone.
"Getting a job within Lifespan, they help you with tuition fees if you become a full-time employee there. So it's definitely a slow approach, but I will get there," DaVeiga said.
Stepping Up Rhode Island relies on its partnerships with hospital groups like Lifespan and Care New England, and community centers and groups.
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