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Employer Relationships and Externships Staying connected to the community is paramount to the success that WTI and its students enjoy, and externships are a valuable part of the process. Real world experience is often the key to quick job placement, and externships provide not only that to students, but also an opportunity for the community to find the right matches for their businesses. “The externships are a highly effective Billing and coding students are working on learning how to code procedures using books and electronic health records. increase in diverse educational choices have led to a pronounced increase in the number of students either choosing trade schools over four-year colleges or choosing to fast track into a well-paying job to fund future educational pursuits. Understanding this new and growing trend, WTI courses are taught year- round, with graduates cycling into the workforce quarterly. In addition to their training, students become fully certified in their selected fields. WTI’s mission is to over prepare students, educating them on every aspect of a job and producing graduates who are ready to step into their chosen fields and Students are practicing phlebotomy while a medical instructor observes and provides guidance. are comfortable with the latest, most advanced technologies. The programs include intensive coursework, hands-on training and additional soft-skill training in areas such as professionalism and patient interaction. “After completing the accelerated coursework and part icipat ing in soft-skill training programs, students are strongly encouraged to become certified, further demonstrating their capabilities and value to their future employers,” adds Farney. More Than 50 Years of Community Partnerships Since the school’s inception, maintain- ing a close relationship with community leaders has been a primary focus that has not only helped in program development but also in job placement. For nearly 60 years, the school has been successful in helping shape the educational and business scenes. “Over the years, we have proven our value and our desire to have a strong involvement from area industries in the development of the programs to meet the real needs of the community. We have a large and active advisory board that helps us keep our finger on the pulse of the latest advances in each area and how we can implement changes to keep up with those advances. The information and guidance our advisory board provides is invaluable to us, and our students,” Farney says. way for the students to get out there, test their knowledge and gain professional confidence. It is also a way for those seeking to fill positions to test the waters,” comments Sarah Sell, career services specialist, Wichita Technical Institute. The school stays in regular contact with area employers to stay abreast of employment trends. Additionally, employers often begin their employee search with WTI, already having an intimate knowledge of the course offer- ings and quality of training that graduates have received. “Over time, we have developed such close relationships within the community and with individual employers that we know the office culture and can easily recommend those we know might fit well, cutting down on the long process of going through resumes. Effective placement cuts down on extended vacancies and high turnover rates, and increases productivity and patient safety. Employers value the effort we put in to developing the most prepared, well-trained candidates, and appreciate the seriousness with which we approach elevating health care,” Sell adds. As the demand for health care services grows, the availability of qualified health care professionals takes on a greater importance. WTI plans to be at the forefront of meeting the needs of students and employers as those needs increase. For more information, call (316) 943-2241, visit www.wti.edu or e-mail careerservices@ wti.edu. n MDNEWS.COM MD NEWS Greater Kansas | 1 1