LTA to launch Allied Health Programs in February

The Latte Training Academy, Inc. in partnership with the Guam Marianas Training Center, is currently enrolling students for its Allied Health Programs. The courses, which are slated to begin on Feb. 1, 2016, include the Medical Billing & Coding Certification course, the Certified Nursing Assistant course, and the Certified Phlebotomy Technician course. As an approved provider with the CNMI’s Workforce Investment Agency, participants may elect to enroll in the courses through the available WIA programs.

“Although the Latte Training Academy, Inc. has historically offered Hotel & Hospitality Certifications, our organization also began to look at the forthcoming demand for CNMI employment. Many of our Health Care professionals are non-U.S. workers, which presents a significant challenge for our community in the coming years. We looked at some relatively stable employment categories which the Latte Training Academy could provide certification courses in, and we arrived at the three courses that we will begin on Feb. 1 of this year. All of the courses offer U.S. certifications which are recognized throughout the United States for their respective fields,” said LTA secretary Tina Palacios.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2014 Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupations including medical billing and coding are expected to grow 15 percent over the next 10 years, with the national median pay at approximately $17.26 per hour. The same data show that certified nursing assistant job growth is projected to grow by 17 percent over the same period, with current median pay at $25,000 annually. The report points to a projected 25-percent increase in job growth for phlebotomist, who currently earn a median hourly wage of $14.74 an hour.

“There is a tremendous opportunity for this community to prepare itself for this unprecedented labor transition, primarily in the health care field. The CNMI’s health care industry will be required to prepare itself with many of these professionals that we aim to certify. In the medical billing and coding profession alone, there has been a shift from an old ICD-9 system to the current ICD-10 system. Having professionals that understand the new system can significantly impact an organization’s cash flow through accurate billing,” says Fe Ovalles of the Guam Marianas Training Center.

To learn more about and register for courses, please visit www.lattetrainingacademy.com or call 1-855-544-8500. (PR)