Burnsville program launches PCA career pathway after federal IELCE grant

A program presenter said the Burnsville adult-education program is offering a new Personal Care Assistant (PCA) career pathway after receiving a federal competitive IELCE grant, and that the course prepares students to take the Minnesota Department of Human Services PCA certification, which the program proctors.

The presenter said the certification allows graduates to work as personal care assistants, home health aides or resident assistants. "This class prepares students to take the Minnesota Department of Human Services PCA certification and we proctor that and then once students pass that they are certified to work as a personal care assistant, a home health aid or a resident assistant," the presenter said.

A meeting participant who described taking the course for personal reasons said the training had helped them. "The reason I take it is I have a special need for my son...it little bit helped me a lot for when I take the classes and it look like kind of opportunity that's what I was I was happy," the participant said. Another participant praised the instructor: "So my teacher is amazing. She explained a lot and I have many question because some were I don't understand to help her and she's explained everything."

The presenter reported outcomes for the program: "We have had the 29 people who have taken and passed that certification and several of them have gone on to work as personal care assistants," they said. The presenter also described a partnership with Ebenezer in Burnsville that provides site tours and opportunities for students to meet residential staff.

Program staff framed the PCA pathway as an entry point in a broader set of health-care training options. "We cater to adult students and we are always looking for new opportunities and new career pathways to help our students bridge to the next step or the next career in their life. We have a CNA pathway, a preca pathway and so this PCA was kind of a natural step below that to help bridge just an introductory health care job opportunity," the presenter said.

The transcript did not specify the amount of the IELCE grant, which programs or departments formally sponsor the class, or any formal actions or votes. Presenters described the program and its early outcomes during the briefing; no formal policy decision or vote was recorded in the provided transcript.

Next steps and funding details were not specified in the transcript; presenters indicated ongoing efforts to expand career-pathway options for adult students.