Lincoln Tech: Recent Episodes
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Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
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On this episode, you'll hear how Lincoln Tech is focusing on Medical Assistants. You'll hear from former students and administration about the importance of this program and the need for M.A.
https://www.lincolntech.edu/
https://www.lincolntech.edu/careers/health-sciences/medical-assistant
Our medical assistant graduates are coming back to us extremely happy with the wages that they're making.
00:00:10S2The first thing I would say, just do it. Don't second guess yourself. If there's something that you really want to do, just do it.00:00:17S3I had a job upon graduation, and I owe that all to Lincoln. I would just.
00:00:22S4Recommend for other health care employers that work with Lincoln Tech. I highly recommend that they learn a little bit more about the externship program. That's actually something I had a personal interest in it
.00:00:34S5Welcome to the official podcast of Lincoln Tech. In this episode, we'll be looking at the medical assistant program. We'll find out what you can expect to learn and what kind of jobs are out there. You'll also hear from instructors, former students and employers who work directly with Lincoln Tech to help you succeed in a field that isn't going away. And Lincoln's promise to our students is simple We will work tirelessly to help you succeed on the road to new career opportunities. Now let's dive into some details about the program. Let's meet our.
00:01:02S6Guests.
00:01:03S1So I am Michelle Jones, and I'm a medical assistant instructor at Lincoln Tech in Morristown, New Jersey. I've been a certified medical assistant for 23 years, and I've been training medical assistance for 11 years.00:01:18S5As an instructor, can you fill us in on the medical assistant program and what it consists of and even some of the tasks that students are responsible for.00:01:26S1Medical assistance work in outpatient facilities. So those facilities are doctor's offices, are urgent care centers. We have students work in outpatient surgery centers, health departments. We even have graduates work at state and county correctional facilities. So our medical assistants are running the front office and the back office. So in addition to their clinical skills, our medical assistants are work in the front desk as well. They work scheduling appointments, confirmation calls. They're working in patients, electronic medical records. They're getting into the billing, insurance and coding part of health care and their clinical skills. They're on the back end doing direct one on one patient care. So they're doing the vital signs patients, blood pressure, pulse, respiration. They're taking the patient's temperature, height, weight measuring, maybe if they're in pediatrics, measuring the infant's head circumference in length
.00:02:27S5That's quite a job description. It must take a good deal of training and practice to be able to manage all of that.
00:02:32S1So in addition to those things, the medical assistant is also running EKG on a patient's heart. They're drawing blood, doing phlebotomy. They're assisting in minor office surgeries and assisting with just the physical exam with the physician. So there's a lot of duties that a medical assistant is responsible for, from the front office to administration to the back clinical side of it.
00:02:58S5How long does a program typically take?
00:03:00S1So our medical assistant come to school for? It's about eight month program. They do six five week modules or six five week terms. The course is broken up that way. So they do six five week modules and then they go off to a five week clinical internship where they're doing hands on directly in a doctor's office. We have preceptors at the doctor's offices in our community that bring on our students and they finish their training hands on.00:03:31S5And as an added bonus, at the end of that process, they're also prepared to take a medical assisting certification exam. So now we know the training process from an instructor's viewpoint. We're also going to hear from an employer in just a few minutes. But first, let's meet some of our graduates.
00:03:45S2My name is Kathy Garcia. I am a graduate of Lincoln Tech and currently working as a supervisor at Reconstructive Orthopedics.
00:03:54S5Kathy, what made you decide to go to Lincoln Tech?00:03:56S2So to be completely honest, I loved what I did prior, but I wanted more. I always was the go to. We didn't have a nurse on site, so I was the go to person for any bumps, bruises, nosebleeds, anything like that at the daycare. And I always thought I would end up in the medical field somehow, someway. So one day I saw an advertisement on TV and I drove over to Lincoln Tech and they ran through everything with me. And right then and there I decided that I was going to take charge of my life and change something. And. And I did.00:04:32S5How were the instructors?00:04:33S2They're amazing. They are amazing. It wasn't like a teacher student. They were there. It felt more like. Like a friend. When I needed anything, they were there. It didn't matter what time of the day they were there for you.00:04:49S5What kind of training did you get?00:04:51S2The training was we did phlebotomy EKG. We learned about the anatomy and then just regular book stuff.00:05:00S5What was your first job after? And what did you do before Lincoln Tech?00:05:03S2So my first job, I was a teacher's aide for three and four year olds prior to going to Lincoln Tech. And then after graduation from Lincoln Tech, I did my externship at Reconstructive Orthopedics and they hired me.00:05:19S3My name is Denise Bravo. I am a former graduate alumna of Lincoln Tech in Melrose Park. I graduated in right in the heart of the pandemic around 2020. I believe we had to have a drive by graduation.00:05:35S5Denise, tell us about your experience.00:05:37S3My experience there was one of the most invaluable things I've gone through the guidance counselor. She was the first person I met. Her name was Adela, and she was amazing. She took her time with me. Just try to figure out what programs, because the funny thing is, I actually went to Lincoln Tech to look into the electrical program.00:05:55S5That's pretty interesting. How did that come about? Why did you change your mind?00:05:59S3As I was touring, we passed through the medical assistant area and she said that she noticed when we went through that area that I just lit up. And quite frankly, it always has been an interest of mine. So we decided to go with that program and it was the best decision I ever made with the dealer's help. I learned so much there and I have been a successful medical assistant ever since and plan on continuing my education right now. I currently work for one of the top ten hospitals in the nation. I'm with Northwestern Medicine. I actually just joined the Northwestern team in January of this year.00:06:34S5Impressive. How has that worked out for you so far?00:06:36S3It's been one of the best experiences ever. I work in the specialty clinic in Glenview, Illinois, and I work in pulmonology, which was actually quite interesting because I myself have asthma. So to be placed in that role, it's like a great experience because I can totally relate to the patients. I can empathize with them. I know exactly kind of what they're going through. So it makes for a better rapport with my patients here. And I've developed some really interesting relationships with some of the patients I work for, for pulmonologists, and I have a great rapport with all of them.00:07:12S5How long did it take you to land a job after graduation?00:07:15S3It did not take me long at all. And the reason was because, you know, we have to do our externship at a facility. So I was paired up with innovative express care where I completed my externship hours there. And then before my hours were completed, they invited me to stay. So I had a job upon graduation. And I owe that all to Lincoln Tech because, like I said, I would not be where I am without them. And each and every instructor that I had, something resonated with me from each and every instructor. And I bring that with me to the job every day.00:07:50S5Talking more about jobs. Michelle, Is there a demand for medical assistance?00:07:54S1There is a demand for this job. So I did some research and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, their data shows that employment for medical assistance is projected to grow 16%. And that's like 100,000 new medical assistant jobs opening yearly. So there's absolutely no shortage of medical assistant jobs out there.00:08:18S5And if you'd like to check those numbers out yourself, the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, which Michelle referred to, keeps those statistics at one online morgue. Up next, we've got a link to tech hiring partner who puts some of the medical assistant graduates to work.00:08:34S4My name is Yasmin Lozano. I am the senior corporate recruiter for Euro Partners, and I have been with the company for a little over five years now. Originally I started with just recruitment, so essentially posting all our open positions, conducting phone screening, scheduling of interviews, things like that. As I have grown into a senior role, I've been able to take on full cycle recruitment. So recruit for positions at all levels, including operations. It billing clinical laboratory surgery center. So we do have a large variety that we work with here, so that's been really rewarding.00:09:12S5What role do medical assistance play in your industry?00:09:14S4So medical assistance play a very important role. They're essentially the right hand, you know, to the physicians. Our offices have two different setups. So in select locations, RNAs work alongside one physician only and then at other offices where we have larger locations where there's up to 6 or 7 providers in one set location, then we may have our medical assistance rotate where they actually get to work with a variety of the doctors there. So what does the daily responsibilities look like for a medical assistant that would include checking patients in rooming patients, taking vitals, drawing blood, updating patient notes into our EMR system, some things that are specific to urology that are really enjoy that they get. To participate in some small procedures, such as prostate biopsies. They assist with catheter removals, urinalysis and bladder scans. So those would be some examples of small procedures that they help out with an office. I think our Mas have expressed that they really enjoy being able to take on more complex clinical responsibility instead of just your normal grooming vitals and drawing blood. So that's some really good feedback that I hear from the medical assistant.00:10:29S5What made your company decide to partner with Lincoln Tech?00:10:32S4So I choose to partner with Lincoln Tech. I think they are a incredible educational institution. As soon as they started working with the Career Services Department, it was very clear to me that they care about their students so much and really want to see them be successful and find jobs related to the programs that they're studying. This was really helpful for me because as Lincoln Tech has a medical assistant program, as I mentioned, especially in the pandemic, it was really hard to find medical assistance. So this essentially just became another tool that I was able to utilize to help me build that pool of candidates.00:11:05S5Can you tell us more about them as a school?00:11:07S4Lincoln Talk? They've been very thorough, really great about communication. Any questions that I have? I truly always receive an email or a phone call same day. So the staff is truly incredible in that sense that they're really great about being professional, very concise, and I think that they really prepare the students to go out and be successful on a different level. I work with a number of schools, but I cannot express the number of times that I've heard such positive feedback from managers in regards to Lincoln Tech students specifically, just the work ethic that they bring, the energy they bring. They're really excited to be there. They're eager to learn, hit the ground running.00:11:44S5Would you say that's not necessarily commonplace when you're evaluating Lincoln grads versus other schools?00:11:49S4This isn't always common feedback that it received from all schools. So I think just receiving that kind of feedback commonly from all offices, wherever we've sent experience has been really incredible and amazing and really excited about continuing to grow that relationship with Lincoln Tech. So it's been great. I've been going there for career fairs and working with them now since 2019, and we've been placing students every single semester since.00:12:14S5Going back to teaching. Michelle, Is there a hands on training like working on actual people and is there are lots of bookwork?00:12:20S1Okay. So the fun part of this is they're only in class for 17 hours a week. So the student comes in depending on what shift they are. They're with us in the classroom four hours and 15 minutes a day, four days a week. That's where we do. We reinforce what they may have read on their own time. We do some lecture, but mainly we're doing hands on clinical skills. So every day they're practicing a new skill and then they'll learn a new skill. So they may come in in one week, 17 hours. We'll do blood pressures, pulse, respiration, and then the next week we may add on phlebotomy and EKG while continuing to do their blood pressure, pulse and all their vital signs as we go on. So the goal is by the time the student is ready to start their career, their skills are so strong from doing it every day. They're constantly practicing these skills in class.00:13:18S5What's the process of getting a certificate?00:13:20S1Okay, so the process for getting their certificate is we guide them through the whole process. We never let a student be alone in the process, so they register for their certification. And we typically do that as a class. They get registered and then we schedule their cert date. But prior to that, we want to make sure that they're ready for their certification. And every student is different. We all learn different. Every student is an individual and we always keep that in mind when it's time to sit for a certification test. There's planning that goes into it on our end that we make sure each individual's needs have been met and they are ready to sit for it and pass it. And that's the goal for us.00:14:04S5You really do walk the student through the whole process.00:14:07S1Then we will schedule it, we'll register it together, we'll schedule it together, and then we'll schedule some dates and then we'll fill in and they'll sit and they'll take their certification. And once they pass, they get their certificate actually comes in the mail. So that certificate is good for two years. Now, all they need to do beyond that point is recertify. They never have to sit for that test again. Once they're certified, they will just recertify.00:14:35S5What's the certification process like?00:14:37S1So what they need to do to recertify is simply stay current in the field. So they need to do continuing education units or continuing education credits. And that is they read a little article, maybe something new in health care. When Covid was big, there was a lot of new information coming. So we were always reading our articles. And there may be a. And 20 question, little quiz at the end to make sure that you retain the knowledge that you read. And then they gained credits. Every article they read, they gain credits. So once they're certified to recertify, they just gained their ten little credits that they need and then they're re certified, never having to sit for that test again.00:15:20S5We're back now with Kathy Garcia, who went from Lincoln Tech student to front desk supervisor. Kathy, what program did you do and did Lincoln Tech help you find a job?00:15:29S2So the program that I did was I was there for full time. So I did the nine month program. They placed me in an externship. But yes, they do help you find a job. I was fortunate to get hired during my externship, but during the externship they were sending out my resume to other companies that were looking for medical assistance. There was a bidding war for me, if lack of a better word. It was between the company and I went. Right now, reconstructive and virtual. They both wanted me.00:16:00S5It seems like. Thanks to Lincoln Tech, you had to exert minimal effort to find a job.00:16:04S2Exactly. Yeah. So they set everything up for me. They set the interview up, they spoke with the representatives there and everything, and all I had to do really was show up and do the interview.00:16:16S5What would you say to somebody contemplating going to Lincoln Tech?00:16:20S2So Lincoln Tech is a great school. They are all about their students. They are not there for a paycheck at all. If you need help, the instructors are there to help you. It is a small classroom size, so you even have your classmates there to help you as well. During my time I made some friends there that I am currently friends with now and it was the best experience that I had.00:16:50S5And Denise, final thoughts?00:16:51S3I'm just so happy where I am and what I'm doing and just being around the patients and helping them. If I can make a patient smile when they're coming in here feeling like garbage, then I know I've done my job. You know, not to brag, but I have gotten praise for that. You know, when they do the patient surveys on how their visit was, I get a lot of nice mentions, but again, I take away I have little pieces of what I learned from every one of my instructors, and I carry them with me every day. Every day I'm thinking about someone when I'm dealing with a patient and everything that I learned. Because like I said, who would have thought my little me? I used to work in a warehouse, drive a forklift, you know, I was climbing the ladder in warehousing, but I wasn't happy. You know, it was a job. This after Lincoln Tech is a career and I plan on going nowhere but up. Even if I stay in a may for the rest of my days, I am 100% happy with that because there are so many doors here that are opening and I'm learning so much and it's a specialty clinic, so I'm doing a little bit of everything.00:17:57S5Thanks for listening to the official podcast of Lincoln Tech at Lincoln Tech. Your success is our success. If you think you'd like to learn more about the medical Assistant program, contact Career Services today online at Lincoln Tech, Edu and set up a campus tour or talk with an instructor today. That's Lincoln tech.edu.
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On this episode, you'll hear how Lincoln Tech is focusing on why this is a good time of year for high school students, especially seniors, to start looking into career training schools post-graduation. And you'll hear from former students and administration about the importance of this program.
www.lincolntech.edu
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High School Seniors Podcast
Jay Rasmussen, Senior Vice President of Admissions at Lincoln Tech: There’s a lot of differences between the traditional education route and the career technical training route. They both serve their own purposes for the correct student, but, number one, we're going to be a shorter program.
00:00:17
Rob Paganini, President of Lincoln Tech’s Mahwah, New Jersey Campus: The first time we made them, the astronaut actually came to our school with the locker that we supplied the latch for. All of our students signed it, and then they shot it off into space.
00:00:30
Julian Cawthon, Computerized Manufacturing Professional and Lincoln Tech Graduate: A position where you're actually able to advance your career, having the training, having the ability to program the CNC machines, the ability to read blueprints you can advance in your career so much faster.
00:00:40
Host: Welcome to the official podcast of Lincoln Tech. Lincoln Tech's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students’ lives and adding value to their communities. And Lincoln's promise to our students is simple: we will work tirelessly to help you succeed on the road to new career opportunities. On this episode, we'll discuss the post-High School training program and focus on why this is a good time of year for high school students, especially seniors, to start looking into career training schools post-graduation.
00:01:11
Rasmussen: My name is Jay Rasmussen. I'm the senior vice president of admissions with Lincoln Tech.
00:01:15
Host: Jay, can give us a rough percentage of high school students that come to Lincoln Tech straight from high school?
00:01:19
Rasmussen: That's a great question. So roughly about 20% of our students come directly from high school and about 50% of our students are under the age of 21. So a lot of these students will take different routes in order to get to the same place. Some of them take some time off. Others try out a traditional college and still others enter the workforce. Many of these students, though, depending on their path and their initial direction, they find out it’s not exactly what they expected it to be and to decide to look for some relevant hands on skills, which Lincoln Tech provides for specific career fields. And they end up coming to us. The majority of them will find us within that 3 to 4 year period after graduating high school.
00:02:00
Host: How does a Lincoln Tech experience compare to a typical college experience?
00:02:03
Rasmussen: There's a lot of differences between the traditional education route and the career technical training route. They both serve their own purposes for the correct student. But, number one, we're going to be a shorter program. Most of our programs can typically be completed within about a 12 month window. The programs are also a more direct route to the career field because you're in and out and you get to go to work. The last major difference that we have is that it is typically less debt for our students to complete our program. The student that takes a four year credential, for instance, will have four years of tuition that they have to pay back. In our instance, it's a one year tuition. Typically it's somewhere between 25-30% or so, 30% of what [an average 4-year college degree cost] may be.
00:02:55
Paganini: I'm Rob Paganini. I'm the campus president for Lincoln Technical Institute in Mahwah, New Jersey.
00:03:01
Host: Rob, can you tell us more about how the high school share program works?
00:03:04
Paganini: We've been seeing a pretty good decline in the skilled trades at the high school level, so we wanted to do something to afford high school students the availability to take automotive courses. We have a share program where high school juniors or high school seniors have the ability to come to our school for 2.5 hours a day, five days a week, and they will take three classes per year. And they are the same exact classes we teach to our adult learners. Now these students are segregated, so they are not mixed in with our adult learners. It is only our high school students with a specified instructor for them only. And again, once they have completed the courses they will matriculate into our adult program if they so choose, to continue their education here.
00:03:54
Host: I understand the high school students coming here are doing something extremely cool in the computerized manufacturing program – did I hear correctly, that some of their prior work is now in orbit on the International Space station?
00:04:04
Paganini: In our advanced manufacturing with robotics program, we make flight ready hardware for the International Space Station. Our students are contracted out by NASA. NASA will show up to our campus twice a year, sign up all of our students as independent contractors so that we can make parts for the International Space Station. Currently we are working on - well, let me back up a second – we first started out by making the latches that hold the experimental lockers closed. The first time we made them, the astronaut actually came to our school with the locker that we supplied the latch for. All of our students signed it, and then they shot it off into space, which was pretty cool.
00:04:48
Host: That’s very cool. What else are these high school students doing?
00:04:51
Paganini: They next asked us to make handles for the International Space Station hallways. The astronaut said the hallways are very long. They’ve got nothing to grab on to while they're walking.
00:04:59
Host: In zero gravity, I can see how that could be a challenge.
00:05:01
Paganini: So they asked us to make handles. Obviously we didn't go to space, but they did, and they put the handles on the hallway so that they have something to grab on to while they're walking. And now we're making a bracket for the antennas at the space station. So we're currently in the process of that. This new project is in its infant stages, but our partnership with NASA is extremely strong and we're pretty proud of that. Pretty good for our students to put on their resume that they made flight-ready hardware for the International Space Station.
00:05:31
Host: So Lincoln Tech has ties to NASA.
00:05:33
Paganini: The program is extremely robust. We're using the top of the line equipment, which is why NASA is confident enough in us to make this flight ready hardware. Obviously, NASA is putting our material through a bunch of tests to make sure it meets their stringent specifications, and they won't use anything unless it is 100% approved by NASA. But to date, we've had no issues.
00:05:58
Cawthon: Hi, my name is Julian and I graduated from Lincoln Tech in 2015 from the CNC program, the manufacturing program. I got good experience pretty early. It's pretty easy to find CNC jobs, especially in the DFW area. I started working for a large aerospace company, worked there for a couple of years and have gotten some good experience since then. Different fields, worked in medical devices, worked for SpaceX for a little while, and also work for a defense company. A lot of different paths there that you can take as far as manufacturing goes, a lot of different fields, industries that they service.
00:06:33
Host: Julian, tell us why you chose Lincoln Tech after high school.
00:06:35
Cawthon: I was on the fence as far as what career path I wanted to take, going to university or potentially the Air Force. And those were kind of the two options that I was like, okay, I'm going to do one of these two things. A Lincoln recruiter came to my high school. She explained the whole thing and said, hey, we're doing an open house over here at the Grand Prairie campus in a few weeks.
00:06:53
Host: What was that Open House like?
00:06:55
Cawthon: They had scholarship testing at the same time because there's some aptitude testing and kind of different paths you can take for scholarships. I went to the Open house at the Grand Prairie Campus and looked around, saw some pretty neat equipment and stuff. After doing the scholarship information, I actually got a pretty generous scholarship from Lincoln Tech and that was very helpful in my decision as far as what I wanted to do with the career training. The scholarship definitely made my choice pretty easy as far as what I wanted to do.
00:07:23
Host: What was your decision making process to go to Lincoln Tech?
00:07:26
Cawthon: I was pretty certain that I was going to go to the Air Force. I was already talking to recruiters and I was pretty much going to just go in for a couple of years and that way I could then go to a university afterwards. I'm definitely pretty happy now in hindsight, not doing that and choosing the trade school route instead of the Air Force route, because I was able to jump in have meaningful experience. That is what a lot of employers want and able to get a job where right at the gate I was making very decent money.
00:07:50
Host: And computerized manufacturing – is that the kind of field where you’re making good money just walking into a shop, or did you need that hands-on experience first?
00:07:57
Cawthon: It’s possible to maybe get your foot in the door with a CNC shop or something like that, but to get to the place where you're actually in a meaningful position - not that an entry-level position is not meaningful, but to get into a position where you're actually able to advance your career – having the training, having the ability to program the CNC machines, the ability to read blueprints, you can advance in your career so much faster having that experience. It probably would take you ten years to get somewhere with no experience, with no on the job training, that it would take you two years with the skill trade training back to you.
00:08:34
Host: Let’s turn back to Jay Rasmussen, Lincoln Tech’s Senior Vice President of Admissions. Jay, areyou finding students are going to Lincoln Tech just because college is so expensive?
00:08:43
Rasmussen: My advice to students about what they should do with their future is to look for the best education they can get for what they're looking to do. You know, most of our employers are looking for students that have hands-on skills that directly relate to the career that they're going to perform. And so traditionally, you'll be told, go to this school or go to that school. Go there because this my grandfather went there, etcetera. Those are never really good plans.
00:09:11
Host: Can you elaborate on that?
00:09:12
Rasmussen: It’s like saying, well, let me go to school based on cost. Although cost is a factor and it should be considered when you're looking at your career, the more important factor that you should weigh is, is what is the quality of the education that I'm going to receive while I'm in school? For us [at Lincoln Tech], the most important part of our job is to find students a career once they complete our program. We're graded based on the ability for us to produce a student that has the proper skill set in order to enter the workforce.
00:09:44
Host: What are the biggest differences between a four-year college and Lincoln Tech?
00:09:47
Rasmussen: We provide a different set of credentials. Like I said before, we're geared for your career education. So we're going to look for credentials that suit that field specifically, whether it's nursing, automotive, welding, etcetera. Our programs vary in the credentials that we offer. We can offer and you can receive anything from an Associate's degree, in automotive science, to an approved and recognized certification within the industry that you're looking at. All of our credentials are industry driven. We attempt to provide the proper credential so that a student has the best opportunity for entry into the workforce. You know, your starting point will often determine where your ending point is, and the higher you can get in there, the further you can get into that higher starting point, the better for you and the better success is for you and your future.
00:10:40
Host: Rob Paganini is the President of Lincoln Tech’s Mahwah, New Jersey campus – where there five different career paths students can train in. Rob, what are some of the other career paths that students can take a look at?
00:10:50
Paganini: As a company, we have a plethora of skilled trades that we offer: automotive repair, diesel repair, collision, health care, IT, culinary arts. Here at Mahwah, we have five specific programs: automotive repair, HVAC, both residential and commercial. We have an electrical program that teaches high voltage and low voltage electric. Our advanced manufacturing with robotics program, which we just discussed, includes 3D printing and AutoCAD. And then our last program is welding.
00:11:25
Host: What are the requirements for potential students to get into the post-high school training program?
00:11:29
Paganini: They have to have a high school diploma or GED, then they have to come down and meet with us. We have to make sure that they're a good fit for Lincoln Tech and that Lincoln Tech is a good fit for them. This is a partnership between us and our students. We interview the student and then my admissions team has to recommend their student for the program of study.
00:11:48
Host: What kinds of things are you looking or listening for in that interview?
00:11:52
Paganini: We have to make sure that that student is committed because we want a successful graduate. So that's our admissions team's determination. And then we have them do a learner assessment: a questionnaire that they just have to put out there, that they can set goals for themselves, that they're committed to this school. We want them to really think about their commitment to Lincoln Tech and what it's going to take to be successful here.
00:12:15
Host: So you don't need the SAT or the act?
00:12:17
Paganini No, sir. There is no prerequisite test to get into our school.
00:12:22
Host: Julian Cawthon, who graduated from a Lincoln Tech campus in Texas, is now a Senior Metrologist at a third-party inspection agency, where he’s responsible for inspected manufactured parts for safety and quality. Julian, how many years have you saved yourself in career advancement by going to Lincoln Tech?
00:12:37
Cawthon: To even get the opportunity to program CNC machines, you have to be a very high caliber employee within an organization to even get the opportunity for them to consider training you. You basically are skipping the entire process of a company hiring you, putting you on the floor for years, vetting you, and then eventually maybe training you. At Lincoln I did all of that within nine months and came out already having the skills to be a programmer and to move into that position that a lot of machinists desire right out the gate. And that doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to get that job right out the gate, but just having the experience and an employer knowing that, okay, this person does have skills that we can use and we can leverage, we'll definitely give them a much higher chance of choosing you to move into one of those more significant roles in a machine shop.
00:13:23
Host: Can you explain more of what you do in your career?
00:13:25
Cawthon: A few years ago, I did pivot from being on the actual manufacturing side to being in the quality side. So I work in CMM programming, which is coordinate measuring machine programming; essentially it's a very adjacent field, but basically those parts that are manufactured on the CNC machines then have to go into quality control and be inspected. So I programmed the machines that inspect the parts now.
Host: Do you enjoy your job?
Cawthon: I do. I enjoy my job. I work in a clean room now, essentially. Every machine shop is probably going to have a CMM, a coordinate measuring machine, because it is the next step that a machine shop has to take to get better contracts.
00:14:02
Host: And back to Jay Rasmussen - what's a good time to look into this program?
00:14:05
Rasmussen: My advice to students would be to pick a five-year window, choose what you want to do over the next five years and be great at it. When it comes to high school students, it's never too early to start looking into your future career options and opportunities because you can wait too long and then you're reacting based on the environment around you. Now look, some just have delayed their choice or where they're going or are they attending close to home or are they going to travel? My advice is to start looking as a freshman and a sophomore in high school, at least exploring career opportunities out there. What you may be interested, what you might not be interested in, to narrow down that list to get a good start.
00:14:45
Host: Sound advice for students of any age, really.
00:14:47
Rasmussen: As you progress within your years, you need to pick a direction. You know, many of us will start off and we find out that this may not be the perfect direction for us and we change our direction from that point. But it's important to find a direction that one you enjoy and you like because the most successful people out there are passionate about what they do, meaning they love what they do. And there's a difference between someone who loves what they do and the person that goes to work.
00:15:12
Host: That’s a really interesting point, Jay.
00:15:14
Rasmussen: Those that are passionate about it make it great, and they perform at great levels and they'll be highly successful individuals. My suggestion is start looking early. It's never too early to start looking because you may change your mind at a later time and then follow something that you truly love to do because you'll be more successful for that.
00:15:33
Host: Any final thoughts?
00:15:34
Rasmussen: The biggest point I would make to anyone looking for a career, is that there are pathways for everyone and you know, you can choose whatever pathway suits you. Remember, it's not a permanent pathway. Life will change. You will change, your direction may change. Your interests may change. Opportunities may present themselves that weren't there before. And so I always tell everyone, you know, try to plan your five years out. Look to be successful within those five years. Work hard, do a good job, try to be great at what you do, find what you love to do, be passionate about it, and then be prepared. When the time comes to pivot and change. It's okay. Nothing's permanent. Nothing's forever in the working world, and you may find yourself in a better position. So chase after your career and be the best at it and ultimately you will be rewarded for those efforts.
00:16:24
Host: Rob, are there grants, scholarships or financial aid available at Lincoln Tech?
00:16:27
Paganini: We have specific scholarships that are afforded to us through Lincoln Tech. We have outside scholarship programs that are afforded us through specific towns, through specific organizations that want to support a specific trade. We will reach out to third party organizations to provide scholarships. Lincoln Tech provides grants for students that qualify for that. And obviously, we have a whole financial aid team that helps every enrolling student with how they are going to best pay for their schooling while they're here.
00:17:02
Host: Julian, would you recommend this program?
00:17:04
Cawthon: I would definitely recommend for the person that does not enjoy school, that does not maybe, maybe not even doesn't necessarily enjoy school, but for the person that doesn't have the opportunities to go to a four-year university. School is so expensive now, some schools are $50,000 a year, which is pretty just ludicrous. I definitely recommend it for people. You can go out and in a lot of cases, you can probably go and make more than your parents, right out the gate for the average person. So I would definitely recommend it as far as opportunities while I was at the school.
00:17:33
Host: Did Lincoln Tech help connect you with those opportunities?
00:17:36
Cawthon: I did do some interviews at Lincoln Tech. They had Career Days where employers came in and they would interview a large group of students, particularly the larger machine shops that have a lot of roles to fill. They would come in and interview many, many students and basically they would have their pick of who they wanted.
00:17:55
Host: How about your classmates – did they have the same kinds of luck you had in securing interviews and eventually getting job offers?
00:18:01
Cawthon: I think my class was 16 students, and I think of the 16 students there, probably 12 of us were placed in jobs where Lincoln Tech was actually the one that facilitated us meeting the employer. The job that I got right out of trade school was a job that was facilitated by Lincoln Tech. The HR person and the shop manager actually came to the school, interviewed us and then offered a large number of students jobs. I think ten of us started working there right out the gate.
00:18:28
Host: You had help from Lincoln Tech landing your job so you didn't have to be hassled with
sending out resumes and pounding the pavement.
00:18:34
Cawthon: Definitely got a lot of opportunities through Lincoln Tech, but also through that job that Lincoln Tech facilitated. I got a lot of opportunities there that I said would have been a little bit harder otherwise. I don't think I could have gotten my foot in the door with a large machine shop like that with zero experience maybe sweeping the floors.
00:18:48
Host: Any final thoughts, Julian, on the post-high school training program?
00:18:52
Cawthon: I think the last words would be you're going to get as much out of a program that you put into it. So whenever you go there, just really soak it in, take the time, read the book, listen to your teachers, because that information is very valuable and they have teachers set up that are going to be super helpful as far as developing your skills and getting you to the next step that will actually make you a meaningful employee that your employer will look at and say, We need to give this guy more opportunities. So the more information that you can soak in while you're at the program, the better because that's going to translate into your ability to be successful on your job.
00:19:26
Host: We’ve heard some pretty valuable perspectives today about the paths high school students can take after they graduate. Does Lincoln Tech sound like a fit for you? To get more information, schedule a visit, talk to a counselor or the career services team, visit Lincoln Tech. Edu.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode, we'll get the insight from women in the skilled trade industry about how trades aren't just for men and how women are making solid careers out of the programs offered by Lincoln Tech.
Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
Alison Neuman, Program Manager of Workforce Development at Johnson Controls, Inc. - Buildings Solutions North America: The skilled trades are for everyone. I agree that stereotypically we would say or in the past it's a male dominated career. But being a technician in the field is a phenomenal opportunity for both men and women.
00:00:18
Morgan Woodtke, Lincoln Tech Graduate and Diesel Technician: My advice to any woman who wants to get into this, don't be scared.
00:00:23
Jennifer Hash, President of Lincoln Tech’s Denver, CO campus: When I got into this industry, I would say probably about 3 to 5% of our students were female. I looked at it today at the Denver campus. 11% of our students are female. You know, there's creative things with collision. It's not just wrenching on cars.
00:00:39
Host: Welcome to the official podcast of Lincoln Tech. On this episode, we'll talk to the women who encourage other women that are currently working in the trade industry and how the trades aren't just for men anymore. Lincoln Tech’s mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students’ lives and adding value to their communities. Now let's chat with the women who make the trades program great.
00:01:03
Hash: I'm the campus president at Lincoln Tech in Denver, Colorado. We are a skilled trades college and we train technicians in auto diesel, HVAC, collision, electrical and welding.
00:01:17
Host: I always thought that women weren't interested in the trade field, but I'm guessing that I'm wrong here.
00:01:22
Hash: Women got into the trades, I believe, during World War two, when soldiers had to go off to war. Women went into the factories to build airplanes and ships and everything. That's how Lincoln Tech was founded. When soldiers were coming back, we wanted to make sure that they were trained and had a skill that they can go into work and get back into society coming from the wartime. Over the years, we saw the decline in women being in skilled trades after that when the men came back. But recently it is still definitely a male dominated industry and our focus with the skilled trades gap is women were an untapped resource to be able to make sure those skilled trades continue to move on and that gap closes. We talk about it all the time and with the high school students, with the adult students that we need people not just going the traditional university route. We need students to be able to go into the skilled trades since there is such a need in those industries.
00:02:24
Host: What would you say to the women out there about the program?
00:02:26
Hash: I would just say skilled trades is an amazing opportunity for anybody, even though it's a male dominated field, that women can be very successful in it. It's all about getting that education. And Lincoln Tech does provide an amazing education for skilled trades and has that support system. We work with a lot of industry employers that want to grow their female population and their female staff, and we're here to help that. We're excited to help with it and it is a great industry to get into being both with the education being only about a year and then working with our career services department to obtain those employment opportunities.
00:03:08
Neuman: My name is Allison Newman. I'm the program manager for workforce development for Johnson Controls and I support workforce development strategies for all of North America.
00:03:18
Host: So Allison, what's so good about this program?
00:03:20
Neuman: I think exploring a career, being technician, being in the skilled trades is very, very attractive to women. When you compare costs of a technical degree versus a 4year degree, it's astronomically cheaper. You are able to enter the workforce faster. Yes, you may still incur some debt, right, to pay for it, but you are going to be earning dollars much faster than a student that's having to pay back student loans. And it's a field in which the yes, there is the hands-on piece, but more and more women, we are getting them into STEM, getting them attracted to robotics competitions and STEM based curriculum in the middle schools and high school so that the next path doesn't necessarily have to be an engineer in a four year school. How about I get an electronics certificate? How about I get an HVAC certificate, start getting that hands-on experience, start making some money? We have technicians that within 8 to 10 years with overtime, they're making six figures. So no debt and they're making six figures. And what's incredible is once you are in we've had women technicians that you enter as a technician, you do very well. Obviously, performance in your current job will predict your future job. So you do really well in your current job and hitting your deliverables and servicing your customers and being innovative. Then there's opportunities for you to grow. You can continue to grow in the technical track. Someone might say, man, I love this piece. It has to be they are very innovative and solving problems, and so many of our women have saw that as an opportunity to say, I'd love to get into sales, right? I know the hands-on piece and I see that there's an opportunity that I could do both. I can do the technical piece as well as sales. So, you know, there's a career path that they can go into sales. Then once you're with an employer, guess what? Take advantage of tuition reimbursement. If at some point in time you say, wow, now I would love to get maybe a business degree and open up my own business, then why don't you utilize tuition reimbursement offered by that employer to continue to grow in your career? It really has so many advantages. I think it's a great way, like I said, to start your career, learn what you like and then drive your career in the direction that you find interesting. But a skilled trade gets you there much, much faster than only feeling that your track is to go, you know, a four-year degree.
00:05:46
Host: Do women feel they have what it takes for the trades?
00:05:49
Neuman: I want to change the mindset of women to say, you have what it takes. You have what it takes to be a technician. This is an awesome way to start your career in the technical field. You can continue on the technical track, you can move into management, you can move into sales. There's so many ways in which you can kind of continue to accelerate your career, but really exploring a technical field. If any woman is out there vacillating, wondering, gosh, should I do this? Please, please reach out to local employers like Johnson Controls to see if you can shadow and get a flavor of what it really is because there's so many great opportunities and where our technicians are headed. I think women play a very, very instrumental part in making that happen. Because of the customer service piece. The problem-solving piece is so very, very important along with the technical aspects. And I just think women are right to take this on and to challenge themselves to say rather than not me to say why not me and give it a try.
00:06:54
Woodtke: My name is Morgan Woodtke. I am 24 years old and I graduated from Lincoln Tech in 2021, and I'm currently the lead tech at Penske Truck Leasing in Hartford, Connecticut.
00:07:07
Host: What does your job entail?
00:07:09
Woodtke: I do mostly the advanced diagnostics there. I am also the district specialist for international trucks. Any of the internationals, even surrounding states who have issues diagnosing those trucks, they get sent to me. So lots of electrical diagnostics, emissions issues and sometimes even catastrophic failures.
00:07:34
Host: As a graduate of Lincoln Tech, what drove your decision to go there?
00:07:37
Woodtke: So my older brother Tyler actually graduated from Lincoln Tech 10 or 11 years ago, and he loved it and he became a successful mechanic. So that kind of pointed me in the right direction. I was like, well, if it works for him, I'm sure it'll work for me. And I went there to tour the school and the staff was so friendly and welcoming. And the second time I went back to the school, they actually had remembered me from the first time. It's definitely a very personal feel you get there.
00:08:06
Host: Morgan, what has your experience been thus far?
00:08:08
Woodtke: My experience with it has definitely been interesting. I always felt like I needed to prove myself more so than any man would have to. I feel like eyes are on me more than a man in the industry, so I feel more pressured for sure. I feel like I have to work twice as hard to get noticed in a positive way, and I feel like if I were to make a mistake, then you know everyone's going to know about it. My advice to any woman who wants to get into this, don't be scared. In my opinion, I think women tend to be more detail oriented, which is a huge factor in mechanics. And as long as you're willing to prove yourself and you find a great employer who gives you the opportunity, take it and run with it.
00:08:51
Host: So, Jen, we have to ask the important question here. What's the money like for those in the trades?
00:08:57
Hash: That's a great question. We can't guarantee what people can make, but it is not a minimum wage career. And there's many opportunities once you get into the industry to move and promote yourself. We focus on getting students prepared for entry level positions within these industries and where they go from there is the exciting part. We have many graduates and alumni that come back and speak about their opportunities and what they've done, whether it's opening up their own shop or getting into management or running a team.
00:10:33
Host: Alison, any final thoughts on the trades program at Lincoln Tech?
00:10:36
Neuman: If women only think that being a technician is, oh my gosh, I'm going to be up on a roof and carrying a lot of weight and getting greasy and all that, people won't want to go into it, right? I mean, when you think of it differently and having that ability, using those different skills and I'm really happy to say with our Lincoln Tech partnership, we've had it for five years now. We've hired many women, obviously still a higher propensity of men than women. But what I love about Lincoln Tech is they started by serving our veterans. Coming out of World War Two is how Lincoln Tech started. There’s many of the women that are Lincoln Tech students that are also veterans that we have then hired into the organization. All of our Lincoln Tech hires we’re incredibly proud of. But we are hiring women out of Lincoln Tech and they're absolutely phenomenal. We started an additional program called the JCI Academy just in September of 2022, an additional six-week bootcamp postgraduation, where we hire them specifically to be security installers or fire service techs. And we've hired six women into that program already and they are doing a phenomenal, phenomenal job. So we're really excited about women technicians in Johnson Controls. Our Lincoln Tech Partnership is making that happen.
00:12:41
Host: Morgan, any advice for the women thinking about this program?
00:12:45
Woodtke: It's what you make it. You will only go as far as you push yourself. You could start in a job and only do oil changes forever, which is fine, but you're not going to be at the same pay scale as someone who wants to learn how to do clutch jobs or rebuild engines or do diagnostics. So don't be afraid to start and don't be afraid to move up any time your employer it. You know, take your time, go slow. Do it correct. Prove that you can do more than they think you can because that's how you move up in this industry for sure.
00:13:25
Host: And one last question. Did Lincoln Tech help you with your job search?
00:13:29
Woodtke: Oh, Lincoln Tech was the reason I got started. It was completely through them that I got a job. I was only going to school for three months when I got it, my first job through them. So I got an introductory level job at Firestone through them, which was an awesome starter position. You know, I got my feet wet. I learned a little bit. And then when I was ready to move up, they helped me get a job at an international truck dealership. And then I stayed there for a few years until I received a better opportunity elsewhere. But Lincoln Tech, they'll help you write your resume. They'll review it, make sure it sounds good. They'll even set up interviews for you; they do all the dirty work for you. And, you know, as long as you're a good student there and you put your best efforts in, I can guarantee you'll get a job through them.
00:14:17
Host: Thanks for listening. For more information about women in trades and how to enroll, schedule a visit or talk to career services, visit lincolntech.org.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode, you'll hear from instructors and former students about what the Culinary Arts Program entails and how it's helped propel these students into successful culinary careers.
Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we will take a look at the Collision Repair and Refinishing Program. We’ll find out what you can expect to learn, what kind of jobs are out there, and where you can find them.
Rebuilding and restoring old or damaged vehicles takes a unique blend of hands-on skills and artistic talent. Lincoln Tech’s auto body schools have a long-standing history of providing career training that helps students build both. Our campuses offer Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology training in a unique Blended Learning format, and there are excellent opportunities out there for you when you graduate: the country is expected to add tens of thousands of collision repair and auto body specialists by 2030.
From dent repair and airbrushing to welding and feather edging, ASE Certified instructors at our auto body schools will ensure you're learning the techniques used in today's collision repair bays.
Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
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In this episode, we will take a look at the Diesel Technology Program. We’ll find out what you can expect to learn, what kind of jobs are out there, and where you can find them.
Lincoln Tech’s hands-on Diesel Technology Training programs are led by ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified instructors. You’ll be prepared to work with trucks, buses, agriculture and heavy equipment, and many other types of diesel-powered industrial machines.
Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we’ll be looking at the Computer Networking Program. We’ll find out what you can expect to learn, what kind of jobs are out there, and where you can find them.
Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we’ll be looking at the Computerized Manufacturing Program. We’ll find out what you can expect to learn and what kind of jobs are out there.
Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.