TCC gets $500,000 to offer free healthcare certification for local residents

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Tallahassee Community College received a $500,000 grant from Sunshine Health to expand its healthcare certification program, offering free training to residents in Gadsden, Leon, and Wakulla counties.

“I’m finally coming back to school, and I’m excited about that,” said Catarina Martin. She moved to the United States from Guatemala and said she always wanted to work in the medical field. “I didn’t have enough money to pay for the classes,” said Martin.

Now, Martin is enrolled in TCC’s Sunshine Health Works program to eventually become a Registered Nurse.

The Sunshine Health Works program originally started in 2021 as a pilot, called Gadsden Connect. The initiative was created to help lower the unemployment rate in Gadsden County, but with new funding, it has been expanded to all three counties.

“Through this initiative, we were able to create those programs that would allow local residents to stay in their backyard and pursue a career at the same time,” said TCC’s Vice President of Workforce Innovation, Dr. Kimberly Moore. “Opportunities that would allow them to not only get a leg up, but also provide a self-sufficient lifestyle for their family.”

TCC is offering certifications for Nursing Assistants, Home Health Aides, Medical Administrative Specialists, and participation in the LPN to RN bridge program. You must have a high school diploma or GED, and the program is free for residents.

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