By Janice Phelan,
                                                									October 3, 2024
                                             
                                                
                                                 Medical Billing graduates, pictured with instructor Jaklynn Hunt, receive their certifications
                                                      during a ceremony at the UCM Lee’s Summit campus.
Medical Billing graduates, pictured with instructor Jaklynn Hunt, receive their certifications
                                                      during a ceremony at the UCM Lee’s Summit campus.
                                                
                                                 
                                                
                                                The University of Central Missouri (UCM) celebrated adult learners who successfully
                                                   completed workforce training at a graduation ceremony hosted Monday, Sept. 23 at UCM’s
                                                   Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee’s Summit. The 36 graduates earned industry-recognized
                                                   certificates through programs designed to prepare them for careers in high-demand
                                                   fields.
                                                
                                                
The recent graduates included 17 from the Sterile Processing Technician program, four from the Clinical Medical Assistant program, six from the Medical Billing Professional with Remote Worker program and nine from the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. Five of the CNA graduates completed the program through a course offered
                                                   in cooperation with PREP-KC, a metro-area organization that brings education, high-school
                                                   students and industry professionals together to build paths to meaningful careers.
                                                
                                                
“Graduation is a highlight for the students, their families and all of us at UCM who
                                                   have watched these students work so hard to achieve their education goals that will
                                                   advance their careers,” said Clarinda Dir, UCM manager for Workforce and Professional
                                                   Education. “This is just the beginning for them as they write their career story.”
                                                
                                                
Thanks to collaborations with community funding partners, qualifying students are
                                                   eligible for scholarships for these courses as well as several other UCM workforce
                                                   programs.
                                                
                                                
These four programs and a number of others serve area students through UCM’s Center
                                                   for Workforce and Professional Education, located at the Lee’s Summit campus. Most
                                                   courses can be completed in approximately two to three months, depending on how many
                                                   classes are offered each week.
                                                
                                                
UCM offers its industry-recognized training programs at the Lee’s Summit campus and
                                                   online.  The university’s classes are tailored for busy students, with in-person courses
                                                   offered on weekdays, evenings and weekends.
                                                
                                                
To learn more about UCM’s workforce training programs, visit this webpage. Interested adult learners are also invited to discuss their career goals via a one-on-one
                                                   chat with a UCM workforce expert by registering here.