Rockland Community College Launches EMT Program

SUFFERN, NY—Rockland Community College (RCC) hosted a press conference November 30, 2021, to announce a new EMT training program established in partnership with Rockland Paramedic Services, the Workforce Development Board of Rockland County, and the Rockland Works Career Center.

“At Rockland Community College, we take great pride in ensuring that our students are real-world ready for jobs in critical and emerging industries that pay a family supporting wage. We are proud to partner with Rockland Paramedics and the Rockland Works Career Center to offer this EMT program to meet the needs of our community and provide lifesaving training for incoming first responders,” said Dr. Michael Baston, Rockland Community College president.

This program, slated to start in January 2022 and continue into the next academic year, was designed specifically to fill the needs of EMT professionals in Rockland County and offer training to the unemployed or underemployed population impacted by the pandemic.

The EMT program leads to NYS certification as an EMT-Basic. Students who successfully complete the course and pass the final written and practical exam will be eligible to take the New York State Certification Exam on the last day of the program.

“By jumpstarting careers in healthcare this collaborative effort will play an important role in saving lives in the Hudson Valley. I am proud and happy to be working together with Rockland Community College, the Workforce Development Board, Rockland Works, Montefiore-Nyack and WMC Good Samaritan Hospital to provide meaningful employment to people looking for career opportunities,” said Timothy P. Egan, CIO of Rockland Paramedic Services.

“Rockland Works and the Workforce Development Board of Rockland County are excited to partner with RCC and Rockland Paramedics to establish a talent pipeline and contribute to the growth of the Rockland County workforce,” said Dr. Stephanie Compasso, director of Rockland Works Career Center.

The three-month-long program culminates with on-the-job training as an EMT professional at Rockland Paramedics Services, which has already committed to hiring those students who complete the program. The program cost is $6,997 but is free for individuals who qualify for assistance through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.