New York State awards Hempstead home health aide trainer $250,000 grant
Cambridge Business Institute, located in Hempstead, will train workers for free with the help of a $250,000 grant. Credit: Newsday Illustration
The state Department of Labor has awarded a $250,000 grant to a Hempstead vocational training business that’s pledged to train jobless Long Islanders to pursue careers as home health aides.
Cambridge Business Institute, a career education company offering training and testing for certified nursing assistants, EKG technicians and home health aides, is among 36 projects statewide — and the only one on Long Island — to receive funding in the latest round of grant awards.
In total, the state awarded more than $7 million in workforce development grants to “boost skills training and employment opportunities,” the Labor Department said.
Cambridge, which listed itself as Allstate Home Health Agency in state documents, will train 125 unemployed or underemployed Long Islanders to become home health aides or nursing assistants as part of its grant proposal.
Tuition for the training will be free, said the company, located at 50 Clinton St. in Hempstead.
The award "allows us to help many low-income and unemployed individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford this training,” Lawrence Ding, director at Cambridge, said in an emailed statement.
“Programs like this are vital for creating opportunities and supporting individuals who are striving to improve their lives through meaningful careers,” Ding said.
The company did not immediately indicate how it would select trainees for the program, but Ding said there is already “high demand for our training programs, with a waiting list of individuals — many of whom are new immigrants or people looking to change careers.”
The company will run 10 evening classes to train the 125 students, he said.
Cambridge is located in the same office building as HempsteadWorks, which offers job placement and training services, and a New York State unemployment insurance office.
Ding pointed to the projected need for home health aides in light of Long Island’s growing senior population.
Roughly 48,770 workers are employed as home health aides on Long Island, and that number is projected to grow to 70,210 by 2030, according to state Labor Department figures. The median wage for aides on the Island is $37,610 annually.
To help home health agencies attract and retain talent, the state has mandated minimum hourly pay raises for aides. On Long Island, a state-mandated minimum wage for home care workers of $18.55 is set to increase to $19.10 on Jan. 1.
Maria Calix, 48, of Lindenhurst, started as a home health aide working for a family in Long Beach earlier this year after a 12-year career in hospitals.
“I enjoy my job as a home health aide because you get to know the patient,” said Calix, who worked as an aide for a short stint before working in hospitals. “You have the time to give loving care and help patients gain independence and improve their quality of life.”
Calix was clear, though, that the job is not for the faint of heart and can be challenging.
“There are a lot of opportunities in this field,” she said. "But you have to be passionate about giving elderly care in order to do it well. You have to always be alert about the patients’ health and the patients’ quality of life.”
Calix trained and got her certification as a home health aide from the New York Training School in Far Rockaway, Queens, in September. The things she learned there were invaluable, even as a seasoned health care worker, she said.
“It was great, and I had a good instructor,” said Calix, who said she was impressed by the quality of training she received, given her previous medical training. “They have good protocols, and they teach you a lot."
The state Department of Labor has awarded a $250,000 grant to a Hempstead vocational training business that’s pledged to train jobless Long Islanders to pursue careers as home health aides.
Cambridge Business Institute, a career education company offering training and testing for certified nursing assistants, EKG technicians and home health aides, is among 36 projects statewide — and the only one on Long Island — to receive funding in the latest round of grant awards.
In total, the state awarded more than $7 million in workforce development grants to “boost skills training and employment opportunities,” the Labor Department said.
Cambridge, which listed itself as Allstate Home Health Agency in state documents, will train 125 unemployed or underemployed Long Islanders to become home health aides or nursing assistants as part of its grant proposal.
Tuition for the training will be free, said the company, located at 50 Clinton St. in Hempstead.
The award "allows us to help many low-income and unemployed individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford this training,” Lawrence Ding, director at Cambridge, said in an emailed statement.
“Programs like this are vital for creating opportunities and supporting individuals who are striving to improve their lives through meaningful careers,” Ding said.
The company did not immediately indicate how it would select trainees for the program, but Ding said there is already “high demand for our training programs, with a waiting list of individuals — many of whom are new immigrants or people looking to change careers.”
The company will run 10 evening classes to train the 125 students, he said.
Cambridge is located in the same office building as HempsteadWorks, which offers job placement and training services, and a New York State unemployment insurance office.
Ding pointed to the projected need for home health aides in light of Long Island’s growing senior population.
Roughly 48,770 workers are employed as home health aides on Long Island, and that number is projected to grow to 70,210 by 2030, according to state Labor Department figures. The median wage for aides on the Island is $37,610 annually.
To help home health agencies attract and retain talent, the state has mandated minimum hourly pay raises for aides. On Long Island, a state-mandated minimum wage for home care workers of $18.55 is set to increase to $19.10 on Jan. 1.
Maria Calix, 48, of Lindenhurst, started as a home health aide working for a family in Long Beach earlier this year after a 12-year career in hospitals.
“I enjoy my job as a home health aide because you get to know the patient,” said Calix, who worked as an aide for a short stint before working in hospitals. “You have the time to give loving care and help patients gain independence and improve their quality of life.”
Calix was clear, though, that the job is not for the faint of heart and can be challenging.
“There are a lot of opportunities in this field,” she said. "But you have to be passionate about giving elderly care in order to do it well. You have to always be alert about the patients’ health and the patients’ quality of life.”
Calix trained and got her certification as a home health aide from the New York Training School in Far Rockaway, Queens, in September. The things she learned there were invaluable, even as a seasoned health care worker, she said.
“It was great, and I had a good instructor,” said Calix, who said she was impressed by the quality of training she received, given her previous medical training. “They have good protocols, and they teach you a lot."
Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
