Lukuman (Rachman) Nagwere, a beacon of joy, reminds us that with perseverance, a growth mindset, and support it is possible to accomplish our goals.
Rachman, who is originally from Uganda, entered the healthcare workforce when he moved to New York. His wife at the time motivated him to work as a CNA. He discovered a passion for working in healthcare and a desire to further his education and career. While in New York, he enrolled in classes to learn about different specialties. However, it became difficult to balance taking classes with his other responsibilities.
After moving to Washington, Rachman worked at Kaiser Permanente Washington as a Patient Care Technician for two-and-a-half years – yet he dreamt of more for himself and his child. A manager told him about the Training Fund’s HealthCare Apprenticeship Consortium and our various apprenticeship pathway programs. With encouragement from his colleagues, Rachman applied for the Medical Assistant (MA) Apprenticeship program and started training with a cohort at Kaiser Permanente.
The MA Apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-earn program that allows students to receive on-the-job training in addition to instruction and a skills lab – all while getting paid. Rachman reflects, “One of the main reasons I decided to join the MA program was because it was accommodating a lot of my needs in terms of schedule and salary. I could not afford to be a full-time student and still provide for my child, myself, and my people back home.” He explains how the MA Apprenticeship program has impacted his life, “The program has helped me to improve my knowledge. And it was exciting to be able to work directly with our providers. It also gives me hope that maybe one day I’m going to further my studies.”
Congratulations, Rachman, on passing the National Medical Assistant Certification Exam! This is just the beginning, because his new schedule as an MA allows him more time to take classes and continue to further his education. The sky is the limit!
Rachman wants his coworkers and others interested in the apprenticeship program to know that even if you are facing challenges, there are support services and resources available to help with financial barriers. In his words,
“At the end of the tunnel there is a lot of light, take care of yourself, take a break if you need to, go out and dance!”
Like Rachman, you too can further your career and we are here to support you. Learn more about our apprenticeship programs and connect with us to find out how we can help you achieve your goals!