Antoneyah Washington completed our Introduction to Healthcare Employment & Apprenticeship Programs (IHAP) class and the Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) Training program with the desire to find a meaningful and steady job and promote equity in healthcare.
“I decided to pursue a career in healthcare because I knew it would provide longevity and I wanted to promote equality within the healthcare system.”
Antoneyah learned about the IHAP program at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission: Hope Place, a recovery center for women. A friend at Hope Place had already completed the program and spoke highly of the opportunity. After looking into the program, Antoneyah decided it was the perfect fit for her next step in life.
Our IHAP is a Washington State Apprenticeship & Training Council registered apprenticeship preparation program that we run in partnership with Seattle Job’s Initiative and Arivva. It is provided at no cost for eligible participants. After completing IHAP in June 2025, Antoneyah went on to graduate from the Nursing Assistant-Certified Training in August 2025.
“I have overcome financial difficulties living under the poverty line, and this program gave me the opportunity to acquire new skills by funding my education.
The programs were a good fit for me due to their hybrid remote learning. This program showed me the expectations of working in the healthcare field and a realistic view of daily tasks.”
Pursuing a career in healthcare is meaningful for Antoneyah because she is committed to equitable patient care and dedicated to bringing her identity to the field.
“From my experience some people’s pain and experience can sometimes be undermined due to their appearance or ethnicity. It makes me happy to know my intention every day I get to work is to treat every patient with the utmost respect and take their concerns seriously. It also makes me proud that people that look like me can identify similarities and feel at ease when receiving care.”
With the support of these training programs, she has accomplished her goal of finding a good job with purpose. Antoneyah was hired as an endoscopic technician at the Pacific Medical Center First Hill Clinic! She encourages others to take advantage of opportunities and see if healthcare is the field for them.
“I would tell anyone interested in the NA-C program to go for it and give it your all. Investing in yourself by taking the help offered to you is the best thing you can do for yourself.”
This is just the beginning for Antoneyah. Now she dreams bigger and sets her goals even higher.
“My goal now is to attend nursing school to grow further in the healthcare industry. Thank you!”