The arrangement will allow Terra State Community College students to register for the online course which can be completed in two weeks or less.
Last month officials from Terra State Community College announced that the school would be partnering with Clark State Community College to train people in northwest Ohio to perform contact tracing. The courses will be offered through the Kern Center for Workforce and Community Education and taught by Clark State, which already had the program established for its students. Administrators are excited to be able to offer this certification both for the benefits it provides students and for the good of community health.
Contact tracing is one of the most effective tools public health officials have in combating the spread of disease and has been a proven strategy used around the world for over a decade. Students enrolled in the certification program will learn about the protocols recommended by the Center for Disease Control and prevention. Vice President of Academic Affairs Bill Taylor said in an announcement from TSCC that, "Contact tracing training is another example of how Terra State continues to support efforts to stop the spread. The contact tracing training is a great example of how micro-credentials bring an opportunity to up-skill, while also meeting the challenge of a national skills gap. Our students can be found in clinical environments and this micro-credential is another example where Terra State is making a difference."
Currently, area and state health department officials are seeking people to volunteer as contact tracers as well as offering some paid positions. A recent job posting from the Ohio Department of Health shows a compensation of $19.15 for contract tracing work which can be done from home.