FVCC offers health career course

Flathead Valley Community College offers a free course designed to jump-start students into health career studies.

Rita Collins of the continuing education division explained that the course includes an overview of programs available, presentations by local health-care employers and future job prospects in each field.

Students receive individual academic assessments of their skills as well as an interest inventory to help them decide their best career choice. The assessment points up any areas, such as math or reading, where a student may need brush up work.

"It's a great 20 hours for people who think they may be interested in health care," Collins said.

She said a grant allowed the college to offer these services free of charge beginning Monday. However, students must sign up in advance by calling Collins at 756-3839 even as late as Monday.

Open to anyone 16 and older, classes will provide information about career options offered through the college, from surgical and radiologic technology to nursing and personal-care attending.

By the end of the course, students will have everything they need to sign up to start a program.

"They'll have an opportunity to talk individually with advisers," Collins said.

Classes run Monday through Thursday for two weeks. Students meet from 1 to 5 p.m. on Mondays and from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

The college plans to offer the course again in the spring in Kalispell and at the Lincoln County Campus.