News

The three-month licensing program will help to fill an ongoing paramedic shortage in the region and set unemployed and underemployed workers on the path to a new career.

Suffern, N.Y. (December 2, 2021) Rockland Community College (RCC) hosted a press conference on Tuesday, November 30 in the Nelson Mandela Room of the Student Union Building to announce a new Emergency Medical Technician training program established in partnership with Rockland Paramedic Services, the Workforce Development Board of Rockland County, and the Rockland Works Career Center. All three organizations were on hand, with Rockland Community College President Dr. Michael Baston, Rockland Paramedic Services CIO Timothy P. Egan, Workforce Development Board of Rockland County Business Liaison Deborah Studnitzer, and Rockland Works Career Center Director Dr. Stephanie Compasso sharing insights about their roles in the new program. Notable attendees included Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, New York State Senator; Mike Lawler, New York State Assemblyman; Ed Day, Rockland County Executive; Aney Paul, Rockland County Legislator; Lucy Redzeposki, Director, Rockland County Department of Economic Development and Tourism; Deborah Studnitzer, Workforce Development Board of Rockland County Business Liaison; Dr. Mark Geller, CEO, Montefiore Nyack Hospital; and Patrick J. Schmincke, COO, Good Samaritan Hospital, Bon Secours Charity Health System.

“At Rockland Community College, we take great pride in ensuring that our students are Real World Ready for jobs in critical and emerging industries that pay a family supporting wage. We are proud to partner with Rockland Paramedics and the Rockland Works Career Center to offer this EMT program to meet the needs of our community and provide life-saving training for incoming first responders,” said Dr. Michael Baston, Rockland Community College President.

This important new program, slated to start on January 24, 2022, and continue into the next academic year, was designed specifically to fill the needs of EMT professionals in Rockland County and offer training to the unemployed or underemployed population impacted by the pandemic. The Emergency Medical Technician program leads to NYS Certification as an EMT-Basic. Students are trained to provide care in life-threatening or potentially life-threatening conditions and to prevent further harm before a patient is moved or transported. Students complete a rigorous course including didactic and practical instruction as required by New York State. Students who successfully complete the course and pass the final written and practical exam will be eligible to take the New York State Certification Exam on the last day of the program.

“By jumpstarting careers in healthcare this collaborative effort will play an important role in saving lives in the Hudson Valley. I am proud and happy to be working together with Rockland Community College, the Workforce Development Board, Rockland Works, Montefiore-Nyack and WMC Good Samaritan Hospital to provide meaningful employment to people looking for career opportunities,” said Timothy P. Egan, Chief Information Officer of Rockland Paramedic Services.

“Rockland Works and the Workforce Development Board of Rockland County are excited to partner with RCC and Rockland Paramedics to establish a talent pipeline and contribute to the growth of the Rockland County workforce,” said Dr. Stephanie Compasso, Director of Rockland Works Career Center, at the press conference. Compasso noted that the Emergency Medical Technician program will help do the following:

The three-month-long program culminates with on-the-job training as an EMT professional at Rockland Paramedics Services, which has already committed to hiring those students who complete the program. The program cost is $6,997, but is free for individuals who qualify for assistance through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

By completing the link below, prospective applicants will receive an appointment convenient for them to receive assistance through the process. Individual appointments will be held on Thursdays during the month, starting December 9th. It will be held on campus at Brucker Hall, Room 6102. Cost, dates, times and etc. are within the link. 

Link to the appointment page: https://forms.gle/e5Co2mmrNLJYreKWA

 

RCC and its community partners are proud to take this step toward alleviating the ongoing shortage of certified EMT professionals that has been both a regional and a national issue. A study done in December 2019 by the New York State Emergency Medical Services Council found 62%of agencies reporting that the shortage in the number of qualified paramedics diminished their ability to cover their calls or scheduled shifts. And the New York State Department of Health Bureau of EMS reports that the number of certified EMS providers in New York has declined 9% in the last 10 years.

At the press conference, RCC also highlighted 13 other workforce programs launching this spring within in-demand fields through the Division of Economic Mobility and Workforce Innovation at Rockland Community College, all with an average starting salary of $40,000 upon graduation. Examples of these programs include Class A Truck Driver (CDL), Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), and Barber Operator.