Aligning career education programs with current and projected workforce demands remains the focus the Rogers Public Schools (RPS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) department. The district’s partnership with the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Arkansas Council is an essential part of developing career education programs that address employment trends and workforce demands within the Rogers community and the Northwest Arkansas region.

Demand for Skilled Workers Increasing for Medical and Health Services

With a growing number of medical facilities located within Northwest Arkansas and the emergence of the COVID pandemic, the demand for skilled workers in medical and health services has increased significantly in recent years. Employment data provided by Dr. Joe Rollins at the Northwest Arkansas Council notes a number of current job openings in medical and health services areas, including medical assistants, emergency medical services, nursing and residential care and related areas. The demand for skilled workers in these areas is projected to increase in future years.

RPS offers the Medical Professions and Sports Medicine programs of study to high school students during the regular school day. Students may also register for many other types of industry certification and job training through the district’s Launch Extended Learning Programs. These programs are often scheduled after school, on Saturday and/or during the summer months. A significant number of students have enrolled in the medical and health service extended learning programs including Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Phlebotomy and EKG Technician. Many of these programs are offered through a partnership with Petra Allied Health and Northwest Arkansas Community College.

"This partnership with RPS and the NWA Council is a perfect example of the Chamber’s mission-work in action. Our Economic Development division develops talent pipelines for current and future workforce needs by connecting educators with industries. It’s critical mission-work for our business community.” ~ Steve Cox, SVP of Economic Development.

What Students are Saying

Several students have shared a summary that highlights the benefits they have received through participation in the career education and extended learning programs and how the programs have helped prepare them for jobs within the medical, dental and health service career fields.

Katie Menjivar:

“I'm currently a Senior at Rogers New Technology High School. The Rogers School District has provided an abundance of opportunities for all of us who want to create a pathway into future careers. Throughout the past four years, I have completed two courses with Petra Allied Health: Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA); and Phlebotomy (CPT). I'm currently in the process of completing another course with Petra, being a Medical Assistant. I've also completed OSHA-10, and I am working on completing the OSHA-30 course. This has been such an amazing experience and such a big opportunity for me. The main reason I've tried to take advantage of these opportunities is that somewhere in the near future I plan to become a registered nurse. All these courses gave me and continue to provide me with credentials and experience in the medical field. More so, it has prepared me to know a little more about what is expected going into the field.”

Adilene Rodriguez:

“As a high school student at Rogers New Technology High School, I am taking the medical assistant class. This is my first time taking a medical class and I have never been this excited for an amazing opportunity. I am really hoping for an internship but because I’m still sixteen, I will most likely have to wait until my senior year. My biggest career goal is to get as many classes as I can in the healthcare field during high school so that when I go to college, I can continue into getting my ASN or BSN with experience.”

Cyndy Vargas-Sanchez:

As a Senior at Rogers New Technology High School, I'm participating in a Dental Assisting program online through the University of Arkansas, which I should be able to complete before I graduate high school. Starting in January of 2022, I will be interning at my dental office to give me practical experience in the dental office. I'm doing this in order to familiarize myself with the dental field because after I graduate high school, I plan on joining a dental hygiene program. Hopefully after some experience as a dental hygienist, I'll begin the path to become a prosthodontist.”