English proficiency can catalyze careers for immigrant and refugee health workers, particularly individuals who have medical training and clinical experience from other countries and face barriers to re-licensing in the United States. By participating in this program students will gain oral and written language proficiency and improve their communication skills, vocabulary, and pronunciation. 

The personalized mobile platform will also focus on cultural competency and critical thinking as related to each participant’s career choice. Participants will be able to select one of the following occupational-specific ESL training tracks:

• Allied Healthcare: Basic Life Support & CPR
• Allied Healthcare: Phlebotomy
• Introduction to English for Certified Nursing Assistants
• English for Healthcare Professionals
• English for Patient Care & Support
• Intro to Medical Coding & Billing
• English for Certified Nursing Assistants
• English for Pharmacy Technicians
• English for Sterile Processing

The mobile platform (EnGen) will allow participants to balance their training with their other responsibilities.

RCBC’s General Education Development (GED) Program is designed for participants without a high school diploma or with a diploma not recognized in the U.S. The program begins with assessments to determine each student’s academic levels and needs, followed by a tailored curriculum covering Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. 

Instructional materials are provided and aligned with the exam’s content and format. Students attend two days of classroom instruction on RCBC’s Mount Laurel Campus and two days of online self-study classes each week for eight weeks, with optional tutoring available one day per week. Individualized support is offered to address specific learning needs, and progress monitoring ensures adjustments to the curriculum. 

While the GED program is free for all participants, the PACE Grant will enable ESL Bridge participants to take the exams free of charge, removing barriers to higher education and employment.

All participants will attend a one-day, four-hour training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. At the end of the training, participants will sit for the comprehensive exam required for certification by the American Heart Association. 

Learning outcomes include:

• Recognition of cardiac arrest
• Effective chest compression
• Correct resume breathes
• Use of automated external defibrillators (AED)
• Team dynamics and communication
• Recognition and management of choking
• Legal and ethical considerations
• Post-resuscitation care
• Scene safety and personal protection
• Documentation and reporting

The entire training program consists of 244 hours over 10 weeks including 200 hours of healthcare-specific ESL training and GED test preparation, 4 hours of CPR training, and 40 hours of job shadowing.