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Students Benefit from Grant in Bucksport
Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) is proud of the work being done in the Bucksport area with educational grant funding approved by Horry County Government in 2021 provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Now in the second year of the grant opportunity, the Bucksport, Toddsville, and Bucksville areas of Horry County have easier access to the job training programs offered by HGTC through the Bucksport community education program.
Shakerra Washington, HGTC Phlebotomy graduate.
Shakerra Washington, a 33-year-old mother of two daughters, managed to complete her phlebotomy certification in May. She began the program in February and continued to work as a medical office assistant while taking classes.
“Hearing about the program itself, I was immediately interested. I have always wanted to learn phlebotomy, and I felt like this was an opportunity for me to have a refresher of what I had learned over 10 years ago in my previous medical training. It was a beautiful process overall. I cannot say that it was not stressful because I just had a baby a few months ago, and there was a lot going on in my life. I wanted to do something different and do something for my girls,” said Washington, Phlebotomy graduate.
Vincent Myers, HGTC Workforce Development Manager, has been working on the fulfillment of grant funds since the program began in the spring of 2022.
“HGTC has been promoting this exciting news and hopes others will learn how the funding opportunities have benefited the communities in which they live. We are in the second year of this grant opportunity with funds still available. We want to continue our success of the program by helping those in the community overcome the barriers of attaining an education, which is necessary to not only survive but also thrive financially,” said Myers.
HGTC is eager for the community to hear how HGTC educational offerings will propel residents toward career goals and beyond with one of the following programs:
- Certified Medical Assistant
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
- Computer Technology
- Culinary Arts
- Drone Training
- Emergency Medical Technology Basic (EMT)
- IV Therapy
- Phlebotomy
- And more!
“We are very excited about the results we are seeing through the grant funding available from Horry County for those who live in the Bucksport community and surrounding areas. There are many tuition-free programs available for various career paths and life-changing opportunities for residents who will take advantage of classes as they prepare for a better future,” said Dr. Marilyn Murphy Fore, HGTC President.
The community education program in the Bucksport area was granted $1.9 million to bring certain job skills courses to community members, either via online courses or at the James R. Frazier Community Center. This opportunity also allows for supporting curriculum courses and programs offered at any of our three campus locations. The grant has been used to purchase classroom equipment at the community center and fund the training programs offered.
Shakerra Washington continues to work as a medical office assistant and received several job offers, including a PRN position with Ramp Health working as a phlebotomist for clinical and wellbeing services at outreach events.
“The instructor for the phlebotomy program was amazing. Seeing her passion for teaching encouraged me to want to learn more. She believed in me even when I did not believe in myself. The push and positive feedback were exactly what I needed to give me the reassurance to keep going in furthering my education,” Washington continued.
For more information about the grant, please contact Katelyn Clay, HGTC Community Development Coordinator, at 843-349-7258, katelyn.clay@hgtc.edu or Vincent Myers, HGTC Workforce Development Manager, at 843-349-5387, vincent.myers@hgtc.edu.