HPOG Success Story: Ricardo at Bergen Community College

Publication Date: November 20, 2018
Current as of:

Northern New Jersey Health Professions Consortium (Bergen Community College)

A photo of Ricardo at Essex County CollegeNewark, New Jersey

Ricardo (Ricky) is a resident of Essex County, New Jersey and one of four children born to Haitian immigrant and Hispanic parents. Neither of his parents went to college, and both struggled daily for a better life. Ricardo saw and experienced their struggles first hand. Those childhood experiences fueled his passion to help others and his desire to be career driven.

Choosing a career direction, however, was a challenge for Ricky because he enjoyed so many things. He was drawn to the medical field, in part, because of how he envisioned medical professionals, and particularly, doctors as helping and making a difference in so many people’s lives. But, he was also interested in law enforcement and the restaurant industry. Settling on the medical field, Ricky faced many challenges as a student with no financial support from his parents or other family members. Ricky graduated from high school and started a nursing program at Essex, but lost his way and did not have the support he needed to finish and dropped out. He went to work at temporary agencies and other dead-end jobs just to make ends meet, but the dream of attaining medical credentials never left him.

When Ricky decided to go back to school to pursue his passion with the medical field, he found Essex County College’s Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program, funded by the Office of Family Assistance and administered by the Northern New Jersey Health Professions Consortium. Through Essex County College, Training Inc. was offering entry-level certification classes in allied health that Ricky knew would be challenging, but becoming financially stable weighed heavily on his mind. Ricky learned quickly that Training Inc. was the right choice, being known for its success in job placement after training ends. He struggled through school working as a night security guard from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. in the morning and then rushed to be at class from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rarely sleeping., He persevered and made it through the course!

Ricky earned three certifications in 2011 that are a part of Essex’s Patient Care Technician program that include Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Phlebotomy, and EKG Technician. As a result of these credentials, he received many job offers from Saint Joseph Hospital, Lincoln Park Care Center, and ultimately accepted a position in the Medical Department at New Jersey Transit. He started at New Jersey Transit three years ago and continues to thrive. He is part of the Human Resource Management Team, in the Medical Services Division, and performs random drug and alcohol screening for employees. He is earning $42,600 per year plus a full benefits package and has a company car and company-paid cell phone. Ricky is a huge supporter of Training Inc. and is grateful for the opportunities he has been given through his attendance at Essex County College.