Posted: August 20, 2018Written by: Lauren Milbourne

Tags: 2018, featured, press release

Recently, Cuesta College was honored for its Career Technical Education program successes with multiple 2018 Strong Workforce Star recognitions. The CA Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office analyzed college programs throughout the State whose students showed significant gains in factors important in building a skilled workforce, such as advancing personal social mobility via a substantial increase in earnings, attainment of a living wage, and employment in a job closely matched to the field of study.

Cuesta College’s Psychiatric Technician program earned a Gold Star, the top Strong Workforce Star recognition. According to the Chancellor’s Office, graduates of the college’s Psychiatric Technician program see an average of 245 percent increase in earnings, 86 percent of students attain the regional living wage upon program completion, and 100 percent of student graduates are employed in a job similar to their field of study.

Cuesta College’s Psychiatric Technician Program begins three times a year (January, May, and September) and offers one year of training to become a certified psychiatric technician. The program is currently accepting applications for classes that begin in January of 2019. The deadline to apply is September 7, 2018. Located at the Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero (DSH-Atascadero), the program prepares students to provide nursing and therapeutic services for the mentally ill, emotionally disturbed, or developmentally disabled.

Cuesta’s Psychiatric Technician Program partners with nearly 50 clinical facilities and agencies throughout San Luis Obispo County, allowing students to perform clinical practice within their facilities. The students also have the unique opportunity to be employed part-time at the DSH-Atascadero while they are in the program. This allows the students to gain on-the-job training and work alongside experienced psychiatric technicians, Registered Nurses, physicians, and other mental health professionals.

The program consistently sees high passing rates on the California Psychiatric Technician Licensing Examination and has tied for the top passing rate in California. The Psychiatric Technician program at DSH-Atascadero started in 1954 and has been affiliated with Cuesta College since 1970.

For information on how to apply to the program, visit the Psychiatric Technician web page, or call (805) 468-3175.