Minnesotans who are in a rut in their jobs or are ready to pursue a new line of work with a boost in salary have an option to educate them for their next career—all without going into debt or even paying a dime.
Minneapolis-based Summit Academy specializes in industry certifications and training workers for in-demand jobs. This accredited, nonprofit career and technical education institute is known for giving low-income adults access to skills that prepare them for good-paying jobs in health care, construction, financial services and technology.
Summit Academy has a reputation for not only training students, but finding them jobs, often as soon as they graduate.
“We like to say, people don’t come to Summit for just the training, they come for the job opportunities,” said Hope Patterson, COO of Summit Academy.
One popular career pathway at Summit Academy is its training for medical administrative assistants (MAA).
In 20 weeks, students will be trained to assume well-paid positions, Medical secretaries can expect to earn around $49,000, medical building managers are paid approximately $52,000 and medical recording managers command around $57,000.
“Students enroll in a 20-week program broken into two phases,” said Patterson. “In the first phase, they learn Microsoft Business, medical terminology and legal/ethical principles and master these skills in an office space.
“Phase two includes professional communications as well as medical billing and coding, which gives them a leg up when it comes to finding a job.”
Summit Academy offers flexibility to help MAA students succeed, through in-person or online classes.
“We know that women make up a majority of the workforce in this field, so we work hard to make our programs accessible,” Patterson said.
There are no out-of-pocket costs for students who attend Summit Academy. The school’s financial aid office is committed to administering aid to ensure tuition is covered; a team of staff members supports students so they can excel.
When the 20-week MAA session is complete, Summit plays a pivotal role in connecting students with jobs. The Twin Cities is home to a number of major health care employers and Summit Academy works with employer partners including Children’s Minnesota and Allina that are looking for Summit graduates to fill MAA roles immediately.
Summit Academy also hosts career fairs where their MAA students are hired on-the-spot.
“We prepare our students so that employers are fighting over them. We prepare them that much,” Patterson explained.
Every Wednesday Summit Academy hosts information sessions at 10 am at its main campus at 935 Olson Memorial Highway in Minneapolis. Adult learners or high school graduates who attend can also learn about the school assessment and financial aid process.
Interested prospective students can sign up in advance at info@saoic.org or simply show up and get signed up in person.
An Open House is also scheduled for Thursday, October 17th from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
“Each department manager or instructor will be there and able to talk to prospective students more in-depth about what will happen in the classroom for a particular field of study,” Patterson added.
To learn more, go to info@saoic.org
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