Broadlawns Boosts Career Certainty

iJAG senior Arianna Johnson has entered her final year at Hoover High School in Des Moines with peace of mind knowing she has a plan after graduation that will continue to put her on a path to a career she’s passionate about.

This past summer, Arianna took her interest in healthcare one step further by applying and being accepted into the Training & Education for a Career in Healthcare (TECH) apprenticeship program at Broadlawns Medical Center. 

During her time at Broadlawns, Arianna earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certificates while learning some legal and ethics guidelines, such as mandatory reporting. Most importantly, she gained real-world experiences and participated in duties such as providing medical assistance to nurses, analyzing lab work, and providing patient care support. The program proved to be the exact experience she needed to affirm her career decision and make a post-graduation plan! Now, she feels confident and excited about what’s in store for her future.

Several factors aided Arianna’s curiosity about healthcare. Not only did job tours, guest speakers, and hands-on activities in iJAG create that curiosity, but she had also witnessed firsthand how iJAG can create opportunities and connections that can impact your future. Her brother Tae’Shaun – a former iJAG student and now alum –  participated in the Broadlawns TECH program three years ago, which elevated his understanding of healthcare and inspired him to study pre-med at the University of Iowa. Now in his third year at Iowa, Tae’Shaun remains committed to his career path and continues working at Broadlawns in the maternity unit during school breaks and summer months. For Arianna to see how one career learning experience has led to another, she was even more committed to pursuing a healthcare career through iJAG and Broadlawns.