Apply Today to Begin Your Career in Healthcare or Building Trades
Free, Hands-on Training for the Healthcare and Building Trades Fields
Our CET programs take 6 to 9 months to complete and leads to industry certification. After graduation, all trainees are certified and prepared to start their new careers earning an on average $20/hour, which is higher than DC’s minimum wage.
Our training is both practical and hands-on. Trainees will have the opportunity to earn an externship with one of our Employer Partners, so that trainees can practice their skills in the real world. During the program, trainees also have access to our other services, including healthcare, transportation services, and food support.
Applications for CET programs are open to adults over the age of 18, living in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Applicants do not need to have a high school diploma or GED, and trainees with criminal histories are still eligible. Our programs don’t have sessions or semesters, which means we enroll trainees monthly.
The application process is quick and easy, get started today!
Apply for Our Healthcare Program
We offer two types of training in our Healthcare program: Medical Administrative Assistant and Medical Assistant.
Trainees in our Medical Administrative Assistant program learn how to keep healthcare offices running smoothly. They develop skills in scheduling, billing, operating computer systems and creating a positive patient experience.
Trainees in our Medical Assistant program learn how to become critical members of healthcare teams in doctor’s offices and hospitals. They practice taking a patient’s vital signs, giving injections, maintaining health records and assisting doctors and nurses.
Medical Administration
Medical Assistant
Apply for Our Building Trades Program
We offer two types of training in our Building Trades program: Building Maintenance Service Technician and HVAC.
Trainees in our Building Maintenance Service Technician program receive hands-on training in plumbing, carpentry, electrical and HVAC.
Trainees in our HVAC program learn how to maintain and repair heating and cooling systems.
Building Maintenance
HVAC
Our Approach to Education and Training
We apply our Whole Person approach to education and training, creating an environment where our trainees can move themselves out of poverty and into living wage careers.
Applicants are not required to have a high school diploma or GED. However, if they do have one they’re asked to submit it as part of their application. Trainees accepted into a CET program are evaluated with a CASAS test, which tests basic and academic skills in real-world contexts.
We recognize that skills like math, reading and grammar are crucial to career development, and establishing a baseline helps us better meet the unique needs of our trainees. Our programs merge basic skills instruction with on-the-job training. Our instructors are industry experts and adult educators; the combination of which creates a rich learning environment.
In addition to providing technical instruction, we also teach our trainees the soft skills they need to land a job. We break down the barriers that have prevented them from achieving professional success in the past. We help them better prepare for employment by teaching them how to build a résumé, write a cover letter and excel in an interview.
We also focus on mental health and life skills development through one-on-one counseling and support groups. This care extends to our graduates through monthly check-ins for one year after they graduate, and a life-long network of CET alumni and instructors to lean on.
All of our CET programs are drug-free environments. Our trainees are screened for substances at the start of their program and periodically throughout their training.
CET is an extremely unique program, because we ensure that each trainee obtains a significant amount of hands-on practice which includes daily time in the lab (healthcare), and shop (building trades) as well as up to 160 hours of externship work with one of our employer partners.
After graduation, we provide an array of follow-up services to our trainees, including coaching and monthly check-ins. We help ensure that our graduates meet and exceed their employer’s expectations. The proof is in our data—over 80% of CET trainees find jobs within 6 months of graduating.
We also support our graduates with ongoing career development, mentorship, after-work seminars and lifetime access to our alumni network. 100% of graduates who find jobs, and take part in our employment retention programs, remain employed for at least one year following graduation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The application process is quick and easy, click here to get started today! Or, find answers to some of our common questions below. Give us a call at 202-292-4460 for more information.
The application process is quick and easy, click here to get started today!
To apply, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be 18 years old, or older
- Have a government-issued photo ID
- Have a Social Security Card or official documentation from the Social Security Administration
- Provide proof of a negative COVID TB/PPD test result within the past 12 months
- Pass a drug screening
- If you have any questions or concerns ask us about our wellness program
- A high school diploma or GED is not required to apply. However, if you have one, please include it with your application.
You will also be invited to complete a scholarship assessment during your application, so we can determine if you qualify for financial aid.
Apply TodayYes! Scholarships are available to applicants, if you meet the following criteria:
- Your household income is below 200% of the federal poverty line, based on individual or family income in the last 12 months
- You currently lack the skills, work experience and education to find and keep employment that pays you a living wage
- You have the intention and reasonable ability to gain full-time employment in the healthcare or building trades fields
- You are ready and willing to undergo intensive job training
- You maintain satisfactory progress during training
We will determine if you qualify for a scholarship during the application process.
Apply TodayYes, we welcome you to apply. Criminal history will not disqualify you.
Apply TodayAll of our CET programs are self-paced, with the average trainee graduating within six months. School and training hours are Monday – Friday, from 8:30am – 3:30pm, except for Federal Holidays, unscheduled Federal Government closures, delays and scheduled CET closings.
Apply TodayThe application process is quick and easy. Click here to get started today! Or give us a call, at 202-292-4460.
Apply Today