Polk college helps students become certified nursing assistants â for free
By FOX 13 News staff
PublishedÂ
CARES Act funds used for tech school tuition program
Traviss Technical College in Lakeland is making tuition-free for students in the certified nursing assistant program thanks to CARES Act funding.
LAKELAND, Fla. - Angelica Ramos is learning how to take vital signs and properly wash her hands, the first steps towards a career in health care. I just find the passion in helping a lot of people, she said, so I just thought it would be nice to have the proper knowledge on how to do things the right way.
LAKELAND Most of Polk County s large high school graduation ceremonies are returning to the RP Funding Center in May.
“We are truly looking forward to celebrating our graduating seniors and all of their hard work,” Tami Dawson, regional assistant superintendent for high schools, said in a Thursday evening press release. “This has been another unusual and challenging year, but we want to do our best to preserve important rites of passage like graduation ceremonies. While honoring our students, we must also stay vigilant in keeping up the fight against COVID-19.”
Last year, with the pandemic looming over all large gatherings, the district partnered with the Detroit Tigers and hosted graduation ceremonies on Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, with socially distanced guests and graduates wearing masks.
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A major reason? Academy alumnus Cole Harris.
Harris, who graduated in 2015, recently opened Central Florida Aircraft Services, a full-service aircraft maintenance company. Harris, 23, operates the company out of a hangar at Lakeland Linder International Airport. Central Florida Aerospace Academy was great, Harris said. Nobody in my family is involved in aviation, so if I hadn t gone to school there, there s no way I would be doing what I do today.
Airport Director Gene Conrad said Harris is the first academy graduate to open his own business at Lakeland Linder. [Cole] brought everything full circle, Conrad said.
Although Harris was on the pilot track at the academy, he started working for Aircraft Engineering Inc. in Bartow while still in high school. Harris shifted around a few other maintenance companies and discovered he could make a pretty good career in maintenance rather than flying.