Success Stories

Danielle Hunter

Danielle Hunter has always loved providing aid to other people, and after helping some family members through health issues, she realized she could make a career out of it. She turned to CCWA and enrolled in the clinical medical assistant certification course in summer 2021.

The labs throughout the course helped bring Danielle out of her shell and gain confidence in her abilities in a medical environment. Her teacher also helped her connect with the class and learn the material. Danielle says the course instructor was upfront and honest about life and the class, and helped guide the students.

The certification Danielle earned made it much easier for her to find job openings, and she received an offer from the GI department at the VCU Children’s Pavilion. She worked through many challenges to earn that role—managing being a mom and arranging childcare so she could pursue classwork, needing support and maintaining mental health. But, she says, she conquered a big goal by completing her certification. Now, she is that much closer to her dream role.

Jessica Rolan

When it came to juggling going back to school with a family and a job, Jessica Rolan faced the challenges head-on as she completed her certification to be a clinical medical assistant in fall 2021. She has always loved working in healthcare and knew this course could help her further that career.

Many CCWA students, like Jessica, have busy lives outside their coursework. But our team and our educational partners work to ensure they can achieve their goals despite the challenges. Jessica was able to find a course through CCWA with a hybrid class schedule, which worked well with her job and other responsibilities.

This certification lays important groundwork for Jessica’s goal of going back to school to become a registered nurse. As she continues to balance family, work and her dreams, CCWA is here to support her.

Michelle Carr

In early 2021, Michelle Carr found herself feeling stuck in her career. She had a job in healthcare but wanted to move up and earn better pay. To get where she wanted to go, she needed to increase her skills.

Michelle found an opportunity to level up through the Community College Workforce Alliance. At first, finding the right class and instructor was challenging. But with CCWA’s help, Michelle was able to enroll in a clinical medical assistant course with an instructor who helped her succeed.

After earning her certification, Michelle was able to get a contract with Atrim at Fort Pickett. She credits the hands-on experience she got in her course with preparing her to jump in immediately and fill a needed role. A critical shortage of nurses means that Michelle’s new skills—including screening and testing patients, and administering COVID-19 or flu vaccines—are vital.

Michelle hopes to continue her education and become a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. CCWA will be there to help with every step toward her goal.

Rachael McLelland

Rachael McLelland has served people her entire career—literally and emotionally. For 21 years, she worked as a bartender and found it a way to connect with people. But she began wanting to help others in a new way. When her bar closed due to COVID-19, it was the right occasion to make the leap. She finally had the time to take classes but had to take care with her finances.

CCWA and VA Ready helped her find the right program with the right financial assistance. Rachael enrolled in the certified clinical medical assistant course in spring 2021 and is currently employed at a pain management clinic. She loved the hands-on labs in her course, and says the training gave her a foundation of solid skills that she uses daily.

Rachael now sees open doors and endless learning opportunities ahead of her. She dreams of becoming a registered nurse and looks forward to helping people live their healthiest lives.