A New Career Path with the Right Preparation

Celeste Delgado put her career on pause to raise her five children. When she was ready to return to work, she decided it was time to pursue her true dream – becoming a nurse. Yet, she wondered, could she do it? “I am 51 years old, and I don’t have time to   waste,” said Delgado. “I wanted to have some basic skills under my belt so that I would be comfortable on day one of clinical training.” 

Delgado found noncredit courses through HCC’s division of continuing education and workforce development that would give her some experience and confidence. She began with the Certified Nursing Assistant course, and then registered for the Advanced Patient Care Skills course for more in-depth training in specialized patient care and procedures. 

“Taking these courses upfront made my learning process so much easier,” she adds. Delgado will graduate from HCC’s nursing program in spring 2019. As she is studying, she is also gaining real-world experience as a full-time patient care technician at Howard County General Hospital. “Working in health care, you get to form relationships with your patients every day, and I love that,” said Delgado. “I hope in those little moments, I make a positive difference in someone’s life.” 

Read more of Celeste’s story. And, to read more stories of students who started on their career path through HCC’s division of continuing education and workforce development, read the Spring 2018 issue of Pathways magazine, available online and in print in May 2018.