Sherman Partap is a licensed nursing assistant (LNA) apprentice with Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire. At age 51, Sherman was retired from a career in the Air Force, working at Lowe’s and figuring out what to do with the rest of his life. “Growing up as a child, I wanted to be a doctor, but my life took a different path when I joined the Air Force. I spent 25 years in the military and the technology industry as a government contractor, and I needed a change. At 50 years old, I wanted my next 20 years of work to make a difference and to be something that I am passionate about.”
While searching for jobs online, Sherman discovered ApprenticeshipNH and the opportunity to become an LNA apprentice. The ApprenticeshipNH Program, housed at the Community College System of New Hampshire, is a unique effort that prepares workers as Registered Apprentices to better compete in the modern workforce. The apprenticeship kicked off with six weeks of coursework at Manchester Community College. Now Sherman is working full time as an LNA apprentice toward completing 2,000 hours or one year of hands-on training with experienced mentors. Apprenticeship enabled Sherman to make the career pivot he dreamed of.
“I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for ApprenticeshipNH and getting the opportunity to go into this field from off the street. It’s an extremely valuable program, and it has allowed me to get my foot in the door.”
Now that he’s entered the healthcare field, Sherman has set his sights on becoming a registered nurse and plans to begin coursework in spring 2022. Hear more about Sherman's career path in this interview.
Learn more about how Catholic Medical Center has found success in using the registered apprenticeship model to hire, train, and retain more than 50 skilled workers since launching their apprenticeship programs for LNA and medical assisting in 2018.
Publish Date: 05/02/2022