LTA prepares more CNMI health professionals

From left to right, Medical Billing and Coding specialist valedictorian Maritoni Raganot, certified nursing assistant cohort 5 valedictorian Gina Tanya Duenas, CNA instructor Johnny Aldan, LTA executive director Arielle Buyum, CNA cohort 6 valedictorian Ma. Victoria Camama, and GMTC president Fe Valencia-Ovalles. (Contributed Photo)

The Latte Training Academy, Inc. recently certified 42 CNMI residents in the allied health field.

Twenty students attained their certifications as certified nursing assistants, 12 students attained their phlebotomy technician certification and 10 students achieved their certified Medical Billing & Coding specialist designation.

The programs, which are accredited through the National Healthcareer Association and the American Medical Career Association, were funded as part of the CW Worker Fee Fund program and the CNMI’s Workforce Investment Opportunity Agency.

All are U.S.-eligible workers intended to backfill the demand in the allied health field in the CNMI.

“The allied health programs are some of our more popular courses, primarily because there is a high demand for these positions within the CNMI. Many of the students who intend to enter into the medical and health field find that these courses provide them a good foundation and entry point into the field. …It [also] provides an equally good point as a career transition,” said LTA executive director Arielle Buyum.

The programs, which recognize outstanding participants within the cohort, last anywhere between three and four months.

During the recognition ceremony, Maritoni Raganot, highlighted as the valedictorian of the Medical Billing & Coding specialist cohort, expressed her gratitude for the rigors of the program. “Thank you for holding each and everyone of us to the utmost standards of excellence to make sure that we reached our full potential. So here’s to everyone who are graduating, here’s to our remarkable instructors, and to the remarkable group of who made this happen,” said Raganot during her speech.

The Latte Training Academy, Inc. has been offering the allied health program in partnership with the Guam Marianas Training Center in the past three years.

To date the organization has trained over 750 students with a certification rate of approximately 90 percent. Since its inception, the organization has leveraged partnerships with local and federal agencies to fund participation for its students.

In addition to the allied health program, the organization offers certifications in the areas of hotel & hospitality, business administration, information technology and recently added its barbering & cosmetology program.

“As with all of our students, we are truly inspired by the level of commitment that these participants have shown. We believe that the ability to balance personal and employment obligations, with the added burden of attaining new skills to further advance their careers is a quality that any employer looks for. Many of our students have found themselves working within the field that they are certified in. This is in large part due to the effort that the Latte Training Academy makes to match in-demand occupations with the required training to provide employers with an adequate labor pool to choose from” said LTA president Juan-Carlos Benitez.

To learn more about the current program offerings, visit www.lattetrainingacademy.com. (PR)