By Nathan Duke
Queensborough Community College will launch a new program this spring that will help students with language barriers enter the health care workforce and another geared toward teaching children Mandarin and Chinese culture.
The school, at 222-05 56th Ave. in Bayside, will introduce the Medical Office Biller Certificate, Home Health Aide Certificate program and Spanish GED classes at its CUNY Center for Higher Education at 39-07 Prince St. in Flushing in the spring, college spokeswoman Alice Doyle said.
“These three allied health care programs support entry into hundreds of employment opportunities in Queens,” said Denise Ward, assistant dean of continuing education and workforce development at the college.
The programs will combine education with language proficiency and help expedite the process of getting students into the workforce, Doyle said.
The Medical Office Biller Certificate will assist students in obtaining administrative jobs at medical offices or hospitals, while the Home Health Aide Certificate will train students to be health care workers who treat patients at their homes.
The programs, which will be part of the school’s Workforce Academy, will also include Spanish GED and English as a Second Language test preparation for students seeking their high school diplomas.
In addition, the college will introduce its Chinese Institute at the Flushing center in the spring. This program, aimed at students in kindergarten through 12th grade, will offer classes that teach Mandarin Chinese, Chinese writing and Chinese culture.
The school will host open houses for all of the new programs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Flushing center.
“For the first time, community colleges are recognized as playing a vital role in the economic recovery of our country,” said Queensborough President Eduardo Marti of the new programs for immigrant students.
Marti said the new initiatives will provide “a direct path to new careers.”
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
