Virginia Health Services celebrated the graduation of eight apprentices during a ceremony held on Styron Square at Port Warwick in Newport News on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.
The students graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides. The earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program, a six-week course that includes classwork and hands-on clinical skills, also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA.
The class is led by instructor Nora Gillespie, RN, and Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, BSN.
The graduates will be employed within VHS. There were ties for valedictorian and salutatorian.
The class: Kenneth Akes, Jr. (co-salutatorian), Alaina Bottcher, Caryn Drake, Shanice Fleming, Tara Johnson (co-valedictorian), Amanda Lawson (co-salutatorian), Tyron Paul and Logan Scott (co-valedictorian).
Co-valedictorians Tara and Logan gave remarks during Friday’s ceremony. The graduates celebrated with family and friends during a reception at the education center.
Join the team
Applications will be accepted for our October earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship class on Sept. 11. Classes fill early, so be sure to submit your application once they open. Our students graduate with jobs within VHS and the program offers several benefits, including financial assistance. Visit vahs.com/apprenticeship for more information and to apply.
Six apprentices graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides in a ceremony Thursday, June 22, 2023, at Virginia Health Services’ Employment, Enrichment and Education (EEE) Center.
The earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program is a six-week course that includes classroom education and clinical skills labs. The program also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA.
The graduates are Aaliyah Glee, Khaylor Griffin, Stephanie Holland, Naye Tiyanna Holloman-Lee, Marina Thomas and Emma Ward-Senghor.
The students will be team members at York, The Newport, Coliseum and James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers. The instructors said each student already is scheduled for the certification exam.
Valedictorian Aaliyah Glee showered appreciation on her classmates during the graduation ceremony.
The ceremony
Director of Education Princess Henderson, BSN, RN and instructor Nora Gillespie, RN, led the graduation ceremony and provided kind words and anecdotes about the graduates.
Nora opened the ceremony telling the gathered graduates, family and friends that “we are dedicated to the success of our students. We want them to be able to navigate healthcare. We hope you all took something from each of us.
“It’s physically and emotionally hard to work in long-term care. You were all exceptional.”
Princess said it was a wonderful class.
“The sky is the limit. Being a nurse is so rewarding. You all have the qualities a great nurse will have,” she said. “When I would talk to Nora before they came to me, she just said, ‘they’re good. They have it.’”
Princess called valedictorian Aaliyah the “life of the party. She strived to be the best. She’s going to be a great leader.”
Nora said Aaliyah’s smile could light up a room and she enveloped everyone in the class with her warm spirit.
Khaylor had “heart, professionalism and maturity” to do the job without having previous experience in patient care. Stephanie, who earned the clinical superlative award, worked really hard to get where she is, Princess said, and Nora added her compassion shows on her face.
Residents loved Naye, both instructors said. Emma, who joined the class later in life and has experience as a CNA, embraced the teaching style and took her classmates under her wing.
Salutatorian Marina Thomas is loved by her residents on the Jefferson unit at James River.
“She’s a quiet, gentle person who brings joy to the residents,” Princess said.
Join our team
Applications will be accepted for our September earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship class on July 24. Classes fill early, so be sure to submit your application once they open. Our students graduate with jobs within VHS and the program offers several benefits. Visit vahs.com/apprenticeship for more information and to apply.
The week of June 15-21 is designated by the National Association of Healthcare Assistants as CNA Week. This year’s theme is “We’re Unstoppable.” We know the team of Nursing Assistants and Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) at Virginia Health Services is unstoppable.
We have a range of CNAs, from veterans to those who will graduate from our apprenticeship program to Nurse Aides on June 22. Our CNAs are the eyes and ears of the clinical team at our communities, spending time with the residents and patients. They provide personal care to assist residents in getting ready for the day and aide in all forms of activities of daily life. CNAs build personal relationships with the individuals in their care.
To celebrate this year, we are featuring four CNAs who have come up through VHS’s apprenticeship program in the past two years.
Our team members fell in love with the job because of the residents. And it all started with the team of instructors for our apprenticeship program, Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, BSN and instructor Nora Gillespie, RN.
The six-week earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. Apprentices are then employed at our seven nursing and rehabilitation centers.
Three of our featured apprentices graduated from the program about a year ago. Another was in our third graduating class and spent over a year as a CNA before transitioning to activity director of The Huntington Assisted Living. She still works CNA shifts.
Here are their stories.
Devyn Hotop, The Huntington/The Newport
Devyn Hotop considered nursing after graduating from high school, but wanted to attain nurse aide certification to test the waters. She says the apprenticeship – she graduated in the July 2021 class – gave her the foundation she needed and she “really, really liked it.”
She passed her exam on the first try and worked for more than a year as a CNA at The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Devyn said she always saw the residents having a good time during recreational therapy and when the activity director job opened at The Huntington Assisted Living, she knew she wanted to do it.
“I love this job so much. You develop a lot of one-on-one personal relationships. It keeps you busy, which I like. It’s rewarding knowing you are doing something for them,” she says.
She also picks up CNA shifts at The Newport to be hands-on in patient care.
The Huntington activity director Devyn Hotop graduated in the third apprenticeship class. She still picks up CNA shifts at The Newport.
“In this role, I’ve had so many people help out with stuff. My teammates are always helping me and they always listen. That means a lot. Even in as a CNA, I know I’m coming in to work with people who will help me,” she says.
Devyn says she uses everything she learned during the apprenticeship.
“The class has great teachers,” she says. “Everyone at VHS has been such a good mentor and there’s a lot of support through it all. The class is overwhelming, but worth it in the end.”
CNAs are vital – “they glue down everything,” she says. “They do so much for the residents and provide so much care and spend the most time with them. They know before anyone else if something is off or wrong.”
Anjil Hicks, Northampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
She comes from a family of nurses and CNAs. She says listening to her family’s stories encouraged her to go into healthcare as well.
“I’ve always been a caring person, genuine. So I wanted to be a CNA, but I didn’t have the money to pay for the class. This was perfect,” she says of the apprenticeship.
Anjil Hicks was the valedictorian of her apprenticeship class and is a CNA at Northampton.
Anjil says the team at Northampton “is amazing” and is supportive.
“I love my residents. I love helping to take care of them,” she says. “I love my team. Even from outside (the clinical staff), the administration is just so nice and supportive if you need it. This community, I love it.”
She says her foundation came from the apprenticeship class.
“The instructors are the best teachers ever,” she says. “They always made sure we understood the material before we moved on to something new.”
Anjil says she is considering going back to school to be a RN. She knows the team at Northampton will have her back when she does.
Jazmine Martin, York Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Jazmine was working as a patient care aide when she noticed how CNAs interacted with residents and the nursing team.
“I wanted to do more and I looked up CNA classes and saw the one offered by VHS,” she says.
She graduated the class in September 2022. Jazmine says the job is “always a learning experience – there’s always something new.” She gets support and guidance by her teammates at York and The Hamilton Assisted Living.
Jazmine Martin is a CNA at York.
She says she was drawn to senior care after seeing how much help her grandparents needed as they aged.
“I just fell in love with older people,” she says.
Jazmine plans to enroll at ECPI to gain her RN license.
“My son makes me want to continue on. I want to push myself to do more for myself and him,” she says.
Her advice to new apprentices: “Always put the residents first. They can tell you, if they’re able to, but put their thoughts in mind. They know when you are around.”
Laurinda Palmer-Yearby, James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Laurinda – she’s called Palmer on the floor – completed the CNA class in February 2022. She’s primarily been on the Warwick unit at James River since graduation.
She worked as a CNA while living in New York City and went through the apprenticeship class to get certified after moving to Virginia. There are different rules and regulations each state follows.
“I was always going to be a CNA,” she says. “My mother, sister and aunt are nurses. My grandmother was a CNA. My family has a lot of nurses and doctors in it and I was always going to be in healthcare.”
She and her apprenticeship classmates remain tight, texting one another to keep in touch. She also likes working at James River.
Laurinda Palmer-Yearby is a CNA at James River. She comes from a family of nurses and doctors and knew her career path would be in healthcare.
“I like there to be camaraderie on the floor. If I ask questions here, I’ll get an answer the best I can. Most of the time we do pretty good. We learn from one another,” she says.
She is back in school at Virginia Peninsula Community College (formerly Thomas Nelson) to be a patient care tech, which is an advanced-level CNA. Laurinda says you learn more about how to evaluate a patient, like therapy does. She plans to have it completed by the end of the summer.
“Being a CNA is a little more personable. In a hospital, you don’t get to know the patients. … You don’t come here looking for a relationship with anybody, but you realize they really enjoy having you around to talk to them and to have you help them get ready for the day and attend activities,” she says.
“I love the energy the residents have to give.”
Join our team
Our applications for the apprenticeship program are available at vahs.com/apprenticeship. We also have openings for CNAs at all of our nursing and rehabilitation centers and for our home and community-based services. Visit vahs.com/careers for more.
Virginia Health Services President and CEO Mark Klyczek was recently quoted in an article in Provider Magazine: “Apprenticeships Move Into Mainstream.”
The article outlines how apprenticeships can boost workforce challenges in healthcare.
Virginia Health Services offers an earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program that graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. The program has had more than 70 individuals and graduates are employed in VHS nursing and rehabilitation centers.
“It helps bring more structure to what we are doing. It fits our existing training program into a more structured apprenticeship,” Klyczek says in the Provider piece.
“This leads, he suggested, to opportunities for funding to help offset the costs of internal training. He said, ‘When you have an internal apprenticeship program, it may qualify you or the apprentices for additional funding or programs. For instance, for a military veteran, it might mean a housing stipend or other funding is reactivated through the GI Bill.’
“He added, ‘It can grow quickly into more funding than you may think.'”
Six members of the apprenticeship class graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides during a ceremony held Friday, April 28, 2023, at The Arbors Independent Living.
A crowd of friends and family joined the graduates to celebrate their achievement, along with members from the Virginia Health Services corporate office in human resources, Vice President of Operations Don Lundin and President/CEO Mark Klyczek.
The earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. They are hired as Nurse Aides in VHS facilities – this class will work at Northampton, The Newport, Walter Reed and York Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers – and will undergo reviews with the team at the education center to prepare for the state exam.
Virginia Health Services CEO Mark Klyczek addresses the April 2023 apprentices during a ceremony at The Arbors.
Mark welcomed and congratulated the class.
“Graduation is always a fun thing to do. It’s the first step in your career in healthcare,” he said. “We want to help you keep moving on in patient care.”
Director of Education and class leader Princess Henderson, RN, added: “It’s only up from here!”
The graduates
The six members of the class attended what instructor Nora Gillespie, RN, calls “CNA bootcamp.” They learned 22 skills and took 14 tests over the course of six weeks.
Nora and Princess praised the graduates. Two members of the class are planning to enroll in nursing school.
Victoria Artis “rocked out clinicals,” Princess said. She listens to her Residents.
Princess said Jadan Byrd worked hard every day and has a heart for this kind of work.
Elle Koller was a “ray of sunshine,” according to Princess. The salutatorian made the Residents feel loved.
Nora recruited Elle during a feeding class at Walter Reed the Thursday before the class began. Elle was supported by her Walter Reed team and VHS to enroll in the class that following Monday. She plans to be in nursing school this summer.
“Now you know you want to be a nurse because you know you can do it,” Nora said of Ebony Spaulding.
“She’s flexible; very go-with-the-flow,” Princess said.
Valedictorian Tennille Warren is “calm and level-headed,” Princess said. She wants to be a doula.
Michelle White, who was awarded the clinical superlative for mastering blood pressure by Princess, “places her focus on the Residents,” Nora said.
Michelle created a sash for her friend Tennille to wear while giving her valedictorian message.
“I want to thank my teachers for pushing me to keep going,” Tennille said. She plans to enroll in classes to further her nursing education at ECPI.
Instructor Nora Gillespie addresses the apprenticeship class.
The program
“We want our students to be successful,” Nora said to close out the ceremony. “Princess and I look for where we can reach you to make you the best you can be. You’ve got to have heart and care about what you do. We’re very proud of what you’ve accomplished.”
Princess said the class came together to get one another across the finish line.
“I’m proud of your team work,” she said.
Apply to be an apprentice
Our next class of apprentices start May 15. Applications for the July class will open in June and are available online at vahs.com/apprenticeship.
Virginia Health Services hosted a graduation ceremony Thursday, March 2, 2023, for its five apprentices. They graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides, and will have to pass the state board certification exam to become a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA).
The five apprentices were part of the VHS earn-as-you-learn program. Students are paid to attend class and graduate with a job within the company. The apprenticeship also covers the cost of the certification exam.
The five graduates will work at Northampton, The Newport and James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers.
“It’s not often everyone in my class touches my heart, but you all did,” said instructor Nora Gillespie, RN.
Graduate Tiffany Colbourne with Director of Education Princess HendersonGraduate Ke’Asia Jones with Director of Education Princess HendersonGraduate Eldreelnette Kpabla with Director of Education Princess HendersonGraduate Janelle Robinson (with special guest) and Director of Education Princess HendersonValedictorian Joshai Smith with Director of Education Princess HendersonSalutatorians Janelle and Tiffany with Director of Education Princess Henderson (center)
The graduates
Tiffany Colbourne (co-salutatorian), Eldreelnette (Ellie) Kpabla, Ke’Asia Jones, Joshai Smith (valedictorian) and Janelle Robinson (co-salutatorian) had to pass 14 tests and learn 22 skills during the course of about six weeks. The combination of classwork and clinicals allowed the students to put what they learned to the test while working with patients at James River.
“Your potential is limitless. You’re all great young ladies and were amazing during clinicals,” said Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN. “You really fought for your residents’ rights!”
Nora refers to the apprenticeship program as “CNA bootcamp” because of its intensity.
Valedictorian Joshai Smith gives remarks.
“You were wonderful,” she told the graduates. “But your job’s not done. You still have to review with Princess and I to prepare and pass state boards.”
The students were complimented on their focus, interest and camaraderie.
Joshai congratulated her fellow graduates in her valedictorian remarks.
“The past few weeks have been life changing as we learned the skills to become CNAs. Despite learning a lot of information to retain in a short amount of time, we all achieved it with each other. We all made it across the finish line; we should all be proud of ourselves. …
“Being in the CNA program has opened the door to new possibilities for our futures.”
Join our team
Applications for our May class will open April 3. Our next class starts March 20. Visit vahs.com/apprenticeship for program details and to apply when applications are open.
“This program is unique,” Nora said during the ceremony. “Students have jobs when they finish the program. They are paid to attend class. There are lots of opportunities at VHS for apprentices.
“Mine and Princess’s goal is to make you the best you can be.”
Virginia Health Services is proud to share two of our apprentices were selected as Healthcare Apprenticeship Expansion Program (HAEP) All-Stars by Argentum.
Shawn Hill and Valentina Zakieva are two of five selected All-Stars nationally. They were featured in Argentum’s January/February Senior Living Executive magazine and will honored during the Senior Living Executive Conference in New Orleans in May.
They were 2022 participants in Virginia Health Services’ earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program that graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the certification exam to be a CNA.
Valentina graduated the program in February 2022 and was placed at York Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She passed her certification exam in the spring and over the summer earned her Registered Medication Aide (RMA) license.
Shawn, who graduated to Nurse Aide in the July 2022 cohort, was studying for the certification exam while at Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center when a different opportunity came available. He recently moved into an activity assistant role at Coliseum, working with Residents in a different way.
They were nominated to the All-Star program by members of the VHS education center.
“These apprentices exemplified a commitment to service,” said Janet Andrews, Argentum’s HAEP Grant Program Manager, in a written statement. “The testimonies shared depicted the character of those willing to go the extra mile. Those that care for the communities they serve with excellence.”
Valentina Zakieva is a CNA/RMA at York Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and The Hamilton Assisted Living
The smallest tasks matter
Valentina Zakieva was the salutatorian of her 2022 cohort. She was working at York in the dietary department for six months prior and was encouraged to enroll by Dining Manager Nicole Freeman.
She says she appreciates the teamwork it takes across departments to provide the best possible care to the Residents at York and The Hamilton Assisted Living.
“This honor means people trust me,” she says. “My patients and coworkers like me and see how we work as a team to put our patients first.”
She and her husband moved to the U.S. from Russia. She is originally from Kazakhstan. It wasn’t until the move to the States that Valentina found herself drawn to healthcare.
“My background is international relations, but healthcare is in demand in the U.S.,” she says. “I like to help people.”
She says she had a good experience in the apprenticeship program under the instruction of Nora Gillespie, RN, and Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN. She adds the team at the education center helped her review for the certification exam – “I felt very prepared,” she says – and apply for opportunities within VHS.
Valentina says she takes pride in caring for her Residents and encourages new students in the apprenticeship to “look at the big picture.”
“My background is international relations, but healthcare is in demand in the U.S. I like to help people.”
Valentina
That means, even if it’s a task that may fall to another department, if it is in the Resident’s interest, take care of it. That could mean taking out the trash or replacing a roll of toilet paper.
“And you have to listen to them. They need you and you want to make them feel good. Brush their hair, get them dressed, take pride and care in what you’re doing,” she says. “If they’re happy, we’re happy.”
She says she’s not stopping at CNA/RMA. She is waiting for documentation issues to be resolved for her to enroll in nursing school.
What path does she want to take?
“Of course, RN,” she says with a smile.
Shawn Hill is the activities assistant at Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Helping Residents creatively
Shawn Hill graduated in the July 2022 cohort and was working at Coliseum as a Nurse Aide when the activity assistant position became available. He was drawn to working with Residents in that capacity because of his interest in arts and crafts – any avenue that allows him to be creative.
“I’m a very creative person. I’ve been doing arts and crafts since kindergarten. I enjoy being around the senior population, have since I was a boy, so it’s been destined to happen. Our Residents love music. They love Bingo.
“I’m still interacting with the Residents, just on a different level.”
He still intends on going to VHS-offered reviews and taking his certification exam to be a CNA.
“I’m not going to give that up. I still have to take the test,” he says.
Shawn says he appreciates the encouragement he has gotten from everyone across departments and facilities at VHS.
“These people really know how to share their heart. I was doing it so long by myself, to get help from the place I work was very touching.”
Shawn Hill of his holiday collections for those in need
“They tell me I’m doing a good job, even if I’ve had a tough day,” he says, referring to Coliseum Administrator Dudley Haas and Assistant Administrator Haley Holland.
He carried his holiday donation tradition to VHS last year, collecting donations of toys and gift cards to distribute to those in need.
“It was so good,” he said. “These people really know how to share their heart. I was doing it so long by myself, to get help from the place I work was very touching. I’d love to expand it and involve more of our team members.”
The apprenticeship and recognition its brought has “meant a whole lot,” he says. “I live by, ‘if you work hard, you never know what will happen.’
“It’s been good all the way through (with Virginia Health Services), from when I first got hired.”
About the program
VHS’s apprenticeship program is done in partnership with Argentum and Hamilton-Ryker, with help from a grant from the Department of Labor. Applications for the next earn-as-you-learn course open Feb. 6. Our six-week courses run throughout the year and details and how to apply can be found at vahs.com/apprenticeship.
Virginia Health Services President & CEO Mark Klyczek and Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, were featured on an episode of “The Indicator,” a podcast about work and money on NPR.
The conversation with host Wailin Wong focused on VHS’s apprenticeship program, in which students earn as they learn in graduating to Nurse Aides and are supported through taking the state certification exam to be a CNA.
Virginia Health Services celebrated the graduation of its latest class of eight apprentices with a ceremony at The Arbors Independent Living on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. It was followed by a reception at the education center.
The earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the certification exam to be a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). The apprenticeship is a six-week course that includes classroom education and onsite clinical skills labs. The students take 14 tests and learn 22 skills. After graduation, the students also go through review sessions at the education center before taking the certification exam.
The graduates will be employed with VHS at York, Northampton and James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers.
VHS Vice President June Barbery gave opening remarks to the gathered students and family at Friday’s graduation.
“Nurse aides are more important than most people realize,” she said. “They have the most contact with the people who come to our facilities.
“Thank you for going through the course. I also want to give you a future thank you for wanting to take care of people and continuing to represent VHS.”
Instructor Nora Gillespie addresses the class of eight graduates during a ceremony Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, at The Arbors Independent Living.
The graduates
Instructor Nora Gillespie, RN, and Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, spoke about each of the eight grads, noting their compassion, respect and ethical behavior while on the job.
“This group really was a team,” Nora said. “They lift up the Residents. They care about you because you care about them.”
Princess restated the role’s importance to the nursing team.
“It’s never easy. They are the foundation of our nursing team,” she said. “We’re proud to have them join VHS. This group all have qualities of great healthcare leaders.”
The graduates were: Latesha Bryant, Cassandra Cary, Cindy Douglas, Daizhane Hunter, Briana Pierce, Mikayla Washington, Christopher Williams and Cortney Wynne.
Latesha put her best foot forward, Princess said.
Cassandra was a “calming presence and was gentle in clinicals,” Princess said, with Nora adding, “Heart and compassion oozes out of her.”
The mother hen of the group was Cindy, who help keep her classmates and instructors in line as a “natural nurturer.” She was awarded the Clinical Superlative by Princess, who said “there is nothing she wouldn’t do for those patients.”
Daizhane, whose mother works at James River, “took great care of her patients,” Princess said.
Briana leads with her heart and “kept our spirits high,” her instructors said.
Nora said Mikayla “did me proud.” Princess added she did an “excellent job with her patients and I see her as a nurse leader.”
Salutatorian Christopher is a medication aide at The Hamilton Assistant Living. He took the course to further his skill set in patient care and had perfect attendance. He wants to be a RN.
Cortney Wynne gives her valedictorian address during Friday’s ceremony.
Cortney Wynne was the valedictorian of the class. She recently left a career in the Army to start a career in healthcare. (She also is expecting.)
She aced every test and was always on time.
“She meshed well with this group and gave it 100%,” Princess said. Nora added Cortney nailed every skill – and those skills will “open every door.”
Courtney gave a speech to celebrate the honor.
“When I first started the program, I didn’t know what to expect. I was nervous to start in a new field,” she said. “… I have enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you. … I have learned in life when you share certain experiences with people, it brings you closer together. This should be a good start for all of us. I couldn’t have chosen a better group to start my next chapter with.”
Join our team
Virginia Health Services is committed to this program and supporting its participants. We are now accepting applications for our January class. How to apply and the 2023 course dates are available at vahs.com/apprenticeship.
In honor of National Apprenticeship Week (Nov. 14-20, 2022), Virginia Health Services is featuring two apprentices who have truly embraced what it means to develop a career within the organization.
Our earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides. The six-week course includes classroom and clinical experience. After graduation, our education team provides review sessions leading up to the state certification exam to be a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA). The program covers the cost of the exam, and our apprentices become team members at our seven nursing and rehabilitation centers.
The apprentices featured below are just two examples of how the program is a foundation to career development within Virginia Health Services.
Community care
Shawn Hillwas a member of our July 2022 class. He has been working as a Nurse Aide at Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Soon he will start as the Assistant Activities Director at the facility. Below, he shares his experience in his own words.
Shawn Hill graduated in July and will start as assistant activity director at Coliseum on Nov. 28.
I was a caregiver without a medical education. The apprenticeship program let me learn the skills I need to provide the proper care an individual deserves.
When I saw the earn-as-you-learn opportunity, I knew I couldn’t miss it! I stepped out on faith and applied. I was nervous, but I got the call!
My whole life changed because I am doing something I really want to do. My passion for people and helping others is on display daily. I dedicate my time outside of work to helping others as well.
My opportunities within VHS continue to expand. I’m excited to share I will start as an activities assistant at Coliseum on Nov. 28.
Serving the community inspires me. I have a nonprofit back-to-school event annually, I coordinate Christmas giveaways to families in need and much more. What I say to everyone, “If you are going to do a job, do a good one.”
Adding on certifications
Valentina Zakievais a CNA/RMA at York Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She graduated from the apprenticeship program in February 2022. At graduation, VHS Director of Education Princess Henderson called Zakieva her “ball of energy. None of us moved fast enough for you!” Valentina shares her journey with VHS below.
Valentina graduated the apprenticeship program in February and works at York.
The apprenticeship program with Virginia Health Services completely changed my life. I started in the dietary department, then enrolled in the earn-as-you-learn program to become a Nurse Aide. I passed my certification to CNA, and recently received my Registered Medical assistant (RMA) certificate.
I’m not stopping there. My goal is to become a RN.
It was an honor to be recognized at York as Team Member of the Year. I also was nominated as Apprentice of the Year in September. I work hard daily to justify the hopes placed on me. VHS has provided me the opportunity to thrive.
I am thankful for excellent teachers who imparted as much knowledge as possible on us and taught us skills until we got them precisely right.
I am here for the Residents. Seeing their smiles means the day is not lived in vain. I try to provide the compassionate care anyone would want to have for their loved ones.
I don’t regret moving to the U.S. three years. Everything is possible when you do it with love.
Join our team
We will start accepting applications for our January class on Dec. 5 at vahs.com/careers. The class will begin Jan. 23, 2023. Please look for the Care Assistant job description to apply.
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