Earning CNA credentials takes six weeks at Delaware Tech, and for students, it could be just the first step on a rewarding career ladder.
The reason, Morris says, is “stackability” — placing one credential on top of another. First, become a CNA, then earn a phlebotomy certification while working full time, then take another step up by earning national credentials as a patient care assistant. Each certificate program can lead to a better-paying position, he says.
Stacking credentials to climb the career ladder isn’t limited to health care. Similar opportunities exist in building trades, manufacturing and information technology.
Completing an associate degree program at Delaware Tech can also be a stepping stone to jobs or a four-year degree.
Teresa Pembroke, who graduated in May with a degree in information technology, started working in March as a LAN analyst for the City of Dover, helping make sure the city’s IT systems are working properly, keeping software updated and assisting employees when problems arise. Pembroke, 22, spent two years in a series of jobs — dog bather, babysitter and house cleaner — before enrolling at Delaware Tech six months after the pandemic shut down many businesses in the state.
“I needed time after high school to figure things out, and when I heard about information technology at Delaware Tech, it seemed right up my alley,” Pembroke says. “I’m making more money, I’m more stable,” she says, and enrolling in a bachelor’s degree program is in her plans.
Anastasia Winder, 20, who also graduated in May with a degree in information technology and networking, is working at the college this summer as an IT instructional tutor before starting a bachelor's degree program at Wilmington University. She plans to become a librarian, a field where technology is ascending in importance over hardcover books.
Studying at Delaware Tech positioned Winder for her tutoring job and gave her strong knowledge of data analytics as well. “I learned different ways to attack a problem,” she says, adding that this ability will help her as she continues her education and settles on a career.