Pictured left to right are, Dontrieze Chapman, 1st Choice Care Assistant Director; Enzi Chapman, the Chapmans’ son; Starsheema Chapman, 1st Choice Care Director; Dawn Kantz, LCC Associate Dean of AAMC & Workforce Development; and Tiyah Chapman, 1st Choice Care Aide; back row, Shauna Lofton, LCC Nurse Aide I Instructor, Jennifer Morgan, 1st Choice Care Aide; Roslyn Brown, 1st Choice Care Aide, Amyria Hill, 1st Choice Care Aide, and Devarus Cox, 1st Choice Care Aide. Not pictured is Dr. Faith Bynum, LCC Director of Continuing Education Health-Related Programs.

Lenoir Community College is excited to announce the first Nurse Aide Apprenticeship that started in July with employees from 1st Choice Care, LLC, a family-owned home healthcare agency in Kinston. 1st Choice Care Director Starsheema Chapman and LCC Associate Dean of Workforce Development Dawn Kantz signed the apprenticeship agreement recently during the Nurse Aide I class at LCC.

The agency’s Personal Care Aides in the apprenticeship will be upgrading their skills by completing on-the-job training at 1st Choice Care along with related instruction at LCC’s Nurse Aide I class. They will also be receiving wages with progressive raises as they upgrade their skills. When these apprentices complete their Nurse Aide I class, NAI state exam and also meet all the required competencies of their on-the-job training, they will become certified Nurse Aide I’s and earn Federal Department of Labor and Apprenticeship NC Journey Workers’ cards.

“This is a wonderful opportunity and we are happy to be partnering with 1st Choice Care, LLC in beginning the first apprenticeship class to provide a more skilled workforce in the community,” Kantz said.

For more information on apprenticeship, contact Dawn Kantz at 252-233-6835 or dkkantz79@lenoircc.edu, on Nurse Aide classes, contact Dr. Faith Bynum, LCC Director of Continuing Education Health-Related Programs at 252-527-6223, ext. 733, or ffbynum32@lenoircc.edu and on careers at 1st Choice Care, LLC, contact Starsheema Chapman at 252-686-5155.