BridgeValley Community and Technical College moving forward with Workforce Initiative for Nurses plan

A charter school that is part of BridgeValley Community and Technical College, Workforce Initiative for Nurses, is on the path to filling the shortage of nurses in West Virginia. WIN is focused on accelerating high school students who are interested in getting a career in nursing. The program can accommodate 60 students, half juniors, the other half seniors.

The President of BridgeValley, Casey Sacks, was quoted in an article from WCHS about the plans for the program. An open house recently took place at BridgeValley’s campus in South Charleston at the Regional Technology Center. The school is planning to open in the fall. 

Sacks talked about how the experience for juniors and seniors will differ. Juniors will use WIN to enter BridgeValley’s nursing program as seniors, whereas seniors will earn high school and college credit while taking the program.

After completing WIN, a student will only need two more semesters of the nursing program to earn an associate degree with the option to transfer earned credits to earn a bachelor’s degree at a four year school. 

Sacks talked more about how the process will work, saying, “In their junior or senior year, they bring their students and enroll them with us; WIN Academy becomes their high school, and they take all college classes. We wanted to create an opportunity for people to say, I’m ready, and I really do want to enter the workforce, and let’s try and accelerate this learning process much sooner than when I’m 30.”

While students are encouraged to stay with BridgeValley after completing WIN, Sacks mentioned that it was possible for them to take their earned credits wherever they wanted: “We would love to graduate from High School and then finish their nursing degree with us after just two more semesters, but they also then a whole bunch of college credits that they could transfer to any of our four-year partners in the state; we all have the same accreditor.”

Sacks also noted that while WIN might not be for every student, it is very beneficial to the students who know they want to be nurses, saying, “There are a lot of students who are going to say this isn’t for me, and that’s okay, and I think that’s the point of charter schools and giving families options,” she said. “If you’re a 15-year-old and love your high school experience, then I want that for you, and keep doing what you’re doing.”

BridgeValley Community and Technical College offers many associate degree and certificate programs in a range of subjects, such as the arts, advanced manufacturing technology, criminal justice, early childhood education, health sciences, and many more. The school also offers many options for financial aid.

More information about BridgeValley Community and Technical College can be found on the school’s website.