HOUSTON (Dec. 13, 07) – Suppose someone offered you the key to a bright new future, filled with exciting opportunities and a chance to change your life? Would you take the key?
Currently, the North Houston area is experiencing explosive growth with close to 850,000 people living within a 10-mile radius of the Greenspoint Mall…and with population comes an expanded need for health care and assistance with the tasks of daily living.
“That’s why we have decided to offer a number of health care certification programs at our North Harris College•Carver Center, adjacent to George Washington Carver High School,” said Debra Harper, dean and director of the center, located just west of I-45.
The new certification programs, which include training for medical assistants, medical transcription, medical receptionist, front office specialist and medical administrators, will start Jan. 14 beginning around 5:30 or 6 p.m. with classes meeting one night a week.
Students will be able to earn a certificate within three months or within a maximum of 18 months.
Many of the students who begin in these certificate programs eventually expand their career potential to other health care disciplines such as Licensed Vocational Nurses or Registered Nurses. “The shortage of nursing personnel continues, not only in Houston but around the country,” Dean Harper pointed out, “and these certification courses can be a forefront to the next step, if that’s the career path the student decides to take.”
The college also receives a number of calls for allied health care professionals as well as nurses. “Medical office workers are in demand in North Houston, particularly as our health care community works with the growing population in this area,” Dean Harper said, “and while we have a nursing program on the North Harris campus, students are still able to take courses toward their nursing degree at Carver.
Reggie Gray, president of the North Houston-Greenspoint Chamber of Commerce, commented on the importance of the new medical training available at Carver Center. “There is a rich synergy between our Chamber and North Harris College (soon to be Lone Star College–North Harris) and its satellites,” he said. “This synergy is created by the personalities of the people involved. The educators see what’s needed,” he added. “They get it–and we’re in synch because they understand what works here, what needs to be done here -- and they do it.”
“They understand Houston’s personality, how North Houston fits into the wheel as one of the spokes,” he continued. “The college system understands their role and the part they play…and everybody gets it.”
“North Houston with its management and political leaders–all the players understand the challenges here,” he said, “whether it’s in health care, moving our community forward and attracting more businesses to the area.”
Dean Harper said entry-level salaries in the health care profession begin at approximately $22,650 annually and, with additional education and licensing, can be upwards of $40,000 annually.
North Houston residents interested in beginning a career in the corporate sector or honing their professional office skills will want to check out the new certifications, beginning Jan. 14 at Parkway Center, a college satellite center located in Greater Greenspoint, residents of North Houston can earn certification at several different levels in professional office skills–and they can learn these skills close to home.
“Because we’re in an area where corporations, such as ExxonMobil, Baker Hughes, Continental Airlines and Halliburton have large offices, we’ve seen a growing demand for trained office professionals, said Dean Harper, who also directs programming at Parkway Center at 250 N. Sam Houston Parkway East.
The new certification programs will teach administrative office skills that are in demand by businesses of all types in the North Houston-Greenspoint area, including customer service, health care administration, law firms, religious organizations, real estate firms, government offices, automobile dealerships, the hospitality industry, schools and more.
“We’ll be offering eight certificates through the new program,” Dean Harper said, “and these programs will include skills in accounting, general office, office assistant specialization, bilingual office, administrative support specialization, administrative assistant specialization, information technology and Microsoft Office specialist.”
These certificate programs can be completed within three months or a maximum of 18 months.
Gray said the new programs will make a great contribution to the community, due to the large concentration of business offices in the area.
“We’re second only to downtown Houston in the number of corporations in our area, so having this training available makes employment right here in the Greenspoint area accessible to our residents,” Gray pointed out, “plus these certification programs also represent a tremendous stepping stone for our residents, going from high school to college. This will help them instantly connect to the corporate environment.”
The chamber president stressed accessibility as an important factor in building a skilled workforce. “The economy and world market are always changing and Houston is a very international city, particularly the north area with our proximity to the airport,” Gray said. “To maintain the pace, it is important to stay current and adapt to the demands of a global economy and global market.
“Houston has been known as an international city for decades,” he continued, “with a diverse economy that allows us to have more stability when national and international economies fluctuate or are challenged by recession or depression.
“Therefore, accessible education and affordable education is essential to our continuing growth but these new learning opportunities also exemplify what this community is like, how we have adapted and continue to adapt,” Gray said.
“In developing this new curriculum, we have taken into consideration the number of calls we receive from the more than 80 companies in this area,” Dean Harper pointed out, “and we also work in partnership with many of these companies when we have job fairs.”
She said entry-level general office positions in the area are currently offering salaries beginning at $20,000 a year, but with additional education and training, individuals working as executive assistants can earn in the neighborhood of $60,000.
“These new programs will create many opportunities for the residents of North Houston,” said Gray. “We all understand the benefits and the opportunities of making this sector of Houston stronger through education…and several of us wish we could go even faster than we move already…but we all enjoy working together. We’ve developed a great camaraderie and friendship–and for an area this size, it’s incredible that this synergy has developed and continues to prevail.
“I think Houston is one of the best examples of the 21st century city in the U.S.,” Gray concluded. “I think other cities want to be like Houston, but may not be able to catch up…in economic development, in the diversity of industries and the educational opportunities.
To learn more about the new office professional certification programs offered at Parkway Center, call Ethel Lewis art 281.260.3527, Trina Lowery at 281.260.3892 or visit: www.northharriscollege.com/parkway.
To find out more about the new professional medical certification program at Carver Center, call Carla Porter at 281.765.7836 or visit: www.northharriscollege.com/carver.
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including Cy-Fair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. With 49,250 students, it is the largest college system in the Houston area, and third largest community college district in Texas. To learn more, visit www.nhmccd.edu.
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