Here are some things to consider
Building a career in healthcare takes time, energy and resources, but there are also many support services available to help make it easier on you.
On this site, you can find information on:
- Connecting with a career counselor to help you plan the next steps
- Financial aid for college and short-term training programs
- Getting your GED and other academic preparation help
As you learn more about training, education and career options, you will also want to consider:
Transportation
- If your academic program requires clinical time, do you have a reliable car to get you there?
- Do you need to find a school or a job on a public transportation route?
Schedule
- Healthcare is a 24/7 industry. Many employers do not close on holidays or for bad weather. Are you prepared?
- Many healthcare degree programs, like nursing school, require you to complete clinical time in addition to going to classes. It probably isn’t realistic to think that you can have a job at the same time as you are in school for these programs.
- For some jobs, shifts can be long, or you may have to work weekends or overnight. If you want to make spending time with friends or family a priority in your life, make sure you know the reality of the shifts you would be working.
There are also resources to help you with:
- Paying for utilities and fuel at home
- Finding childcare/daycare
- English language (ESOL) classes
- Rent
If you need any of these services, you need to be connected to someone to help you access them. Please call the United Way’s Mass 2-1-1 line.
Mass 2-1-1 offers:
- 24/7 access to live service referrals
- Multilingual staff and TTY
- Free and confidential answers to your questions
Just dial 211 from any phone in Massachusetts and you will be connected to someone who can help you.