High school underclassmen gather to learn about health care careers

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Sophomores and some freshmen from the five high schools of the Houston County School System will be attending a health care-focused program, “More Than Scrubs,” come Thursday, highlighting potential clinical and non-clinical career options at the county’s fourth largest employer: Houston Healthcare.

A joint operation thanks to the efforts of the Houston County Career Academy, Central Georgia Technical College, the Development Authority of Houston County and Houston Healthcare, the career academy’s Sandi Couillard, youth apprenticeship coordinator, spoke more on how this event began and how it could impact the 150 students attending next week.

“We’re trying to expose them to these things so that they can start taking the classes that they need to prepare,” Couillard said. “Most of the classes over here at the career academy that are also dual-enrolled with Central Georgia Tech, they’re two-year programs.

“So, if we can get them in their junior and senior year, that’s great. They can finish that pathway and continue on at CGTC or go somewhere else. It is a pivotal point in their lives to try and make some decisions.”

When Couillard started in her current position five years ago, she saw that health care was a very popular choice of career path at the academy — but jobs in that industry weren’t as common at that point, she explained.

After visiting a similar program in Crisp County where high school students were gaining experience at the hospital there, Couillard said they came back, reached out to Angie Gheesling with the Development Authority of Houston County and she connected the career academy with Charles Briscoe, CEO of Houston Healthcare.

“The next thing you know, we had a meeting and they hired 14 students to come in and work,” Couillard said. “But before actually hiring the students, I jumped ahead just a bit.”

From there, the health care summit was born, with its first showing in 2019. Couillard added that the academy wanted to show those interested students that there are more directions for a career in health care than meet the eye.

“We decided we would try to expose students to the career opportunities in health care — not just those [careers] that wear scrubs,” Couillard said. ” … With the help of the Development Authority of Houston County, CGTC, Houston Healthcare and Houston County Schools, we’ve had a great turnout and a very successful time.”

She said students are typically chosen to participate in the program using “You Science,” a 90-minute survey the students take during their freshman and sophomore year that grades on aptitude, interests and recommendations on potential career paths. Based on those results, it’s obvious health care is a field of interest for Houston County kids.

“We use ‘You Science’ results as well as solicitation and announcements at school,” Couillard explained. “This year, we’re already full; we have a waiting list to come.”

Students can expect to hear some insight from the following individuals at the event: Dr. Ivan Allen, president of CTGC; Dr. Mark Scott, superintendent of schools for the Houston County School District; Charles Briscoe, chief executive officer with Houston Healthcare; Siggy Tetteh, VP – chief information officer with HHC; Shellisa Houston Martin, VP – chief nursing officer with HHC; David Rossman, director of engineering with HHC; David Borghelli, director of emergency medical services with HHC; and Melissa Phagan, VP – chief of staff with HHC.

“Different managers and representatives from different departments at the hospital get up and speak about what happens in their areas, as well as their pathways and how they got there — their story, basically,” Couillard said. “It helps the students to really see how they could relate to some of the challenges or ideas that those folks have.”

Charles Briscoe, Houston Healthcare CEO, commented in a release on the various routes one could take in finding a career in the health care industry, such as business administration, information technology and HVAC-industrial maintenance.

“When people think of health care, doctors and nurses often come to mind first, and it is true that a robust pipeline of talented bedside providers is critical to patient care,” Briscoe said. “However, it takes a wide range of people from every skill or profession, clinical and non-clinical, to properly care for our patients and their families.”

The fourth annual “More Than Scrubs” event will be taking place from 8:30 a.m.-noon at CTGC’s Sonny Watson Health Sciences Building, located on the Warner Robins campus.

Because of the success of the health care summit in previous years and its one showing to come, the career academy and other partners have assembled an aerospace summit to take place on Feb. 10 at the CGTC Aerospace & Sustainment Center, located at 1821 Avondale Mill Road in Macon. Expect some coverage on “Fly High with Aerospace Careers” in an upcoming edition of The Journal.

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