Eight Surry-Yadkin Works Interns Advance to Nursing Apprenticeships

Eight former Surry-Yadkin Works interns are now working as Nursing Apprentices after signing commitments with Northern Regional Hospital.

Program Director Crystal Folger-Hawks says, “Apprenticeships combine on-the-job and classroom training and help our students to get a foot in the door to the labor market while also increasing access to higher education. This program is also helping meet our local employers' needs for a workforce with applied, technical, and problem-solving skills. We are so proud that we can be an avenue to offer this opportunity to students and businesses in Surry and Yadkin Counties.”

The first youth apprentice program for registered nurses in North Carolina has culminated in many success stories for local students. This special opportunity is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program and the state’s ApprenticeshipNC program through the N.C. Community College System Office that combines a paid work-based learning experience with classroom academics leading to a national certification. These students will earn free tuition for the Associate Degree Nursing program at a North Carolina community college to become registered nurses, while also working at Northern Regional Hospital. In addition to the eight nursing apprentices, fifteen more students will work alongside them as Certified Nursing Assistant pre-apprentices.

Trista Berrier, a recent graduate of North Surry High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Critical Care Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Patty Creed. Berrier completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 apprentice. She is now attending Forsyth Tech Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing program.

Hannah Hall, a recent graduate of Starmount High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Medical/Surgery Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Lisa Snody. Hall completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice as she continues her education at Surry Community College in the Associate Degree Nursing program.

Gisell Hernandez Aguilera, a recent graduate of Yadkin Early College High School, earned an Associate in Arts degree from Surry Community College. She was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Medical/Surgery Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Lisa Snody. Aguilera completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice as she continues her education at Surry Community College in the Associate Degree Nursing program.

Brianna Key, a super senior at the Surry Early College High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Skilled Nursing Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Jenny Triplett. Key completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice.

Callie Moore, a recent graduate of Surry Central High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Medical/Surgery Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Lisa Snody. Moore completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice. She is continuing her education at Surry Community College taking pre-requisites for nursing.

Cristina Seawell, a recent graduate of East Surry High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Labor and Delivery Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Liz Persuad. Seawell completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice. She is continuing her education at Surry Community College taking pre-requisites for nursing.

Mariela Secundino, a super senior at the Surry Early College High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Skilled Nursing Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Jenny Triplett. Secundino completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice.

Ashlyn Shore, a recent graduate of Forbush High School, was hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the Critical Care Unit at Northern Regional Hospital where she was mentored by Patty Creed. Shore completed a pre-apprenticeship in Spring 2022 and is a Fall 2022 Apprentice. She is continuing her education at Forsyth Tech Community College in the Associate Degree Nursing program.

Surry-Yadkin Works is the first community-based internship program of its kind in North Carolina covering a two-county region. This innovative business and education initiative is the collaborative effort of four public school systems in Surry and Yadkin counties including Elkin City Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Surry County Schools, and Yadkin County Schools, as well as Surry Community College, to create a unique approach to a regional internship program.

The funding is also a joint effort with commitments from the Surry County Commissioners and the Yadkin County Commissioners. An anonymous contributor donated $100,000 prompted by a presentation about the program at an educational summit. Surry-Yadkin Works officially began on January 1, 2021.

For more information about the program, contact Crystal Folger-Hawks, Surry-Yadkin Works Program Director, at (336) 401-7820 or folger-hawksc@surry.edu or visit www.surryyadkinworks.org. You can also follow Surry-Yadkin Works on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.