Students and alumni achieve better lives through education
Scarborough, ME – April 7, 2015 – PRWeb.com: For some among the many graduates of Northeast Technical Institute (NTI) over the past year, getting to graduation took a lot of hard work and determination. In some cases, conquering the academics was the easy part: family responsibilities, health issues and financial pressures are just some of the challenges NTI students have overcome.
From earthquake survivor to Phlebotomist
Kesner “Salvi” Salvent, a survivor of the Haiti earthquake, found his way to Maine with a lot of help and graduated from Northeast
Technical Institute.
Kesner ‘Salvi’ Salvent was working in construction in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to help support his 10 younger siblings in 2010 when a 7.0 earthquake struck. He was in a crowded store that was collapsing all around him. “I tried to get out, but it was too late,” Salvi said. “People in front of me had already started dying.” He awoke on his stomach much later, pinned beneath the heavy debris and unable to move. He lay there for four days before rescuers heard his cries for help.
Salvi is the best friend of Gabison Boisrond, a current NTI HVAC Technician student who lives in Kennebunkport with his wife, Erin. Boisrond kept in cellphone contact with his family and friends in Port-au-Prince as they frantically searched for Salvi, who no one had seen since the earthquake. Gabison Boisrond’s in-laws intervened when he was finally located and after several days of paperwork, logistics management and assistance from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s office, Salvi was evacuated to a nearby Navy Hospital ship. With the help and support of untold numbers of caring people, Salvi was brought to the United States. After a year of medical care and recovery, he made it to Maine in the back of an SUV.
Finally, two years after the earthquake, Salvi enrolled in the Clinical Medical Assistant Program at NTI which includes phlebotomy training. He hopes to continue his medical training in the future to help other Haitians, but in the meantime is happy in his new role as a Phlebotomy Technician with NorDx Labs at Maine Medical Center.
From production worker to information technology
When Nam Phan graduated from high school, he secured a production job at Hostess Brands. Nam was confident that a large food manufacturing company that had been successful for many years would provide job security. But after 10 years with Hostess and with no warning, the company closed and Nam had no marketable skills, certifications or experience in anything but production. He didn’t know where to turn.
Nam was referred to NTI by a friend and soon after interviewing, enrolled in the computer networking program. In a very short time and with the help of NTI’s unique ‘Flex-Train’ scheduling (students customize their own schedule), combined with hands-on training, Nam has been able to secure a position in the IT department at Maine Medical Center. Nam credits the courseware and lab simulations for rounding out his program and preparing him to pass his industry certifications with CompTIA and Microsoft. The Career Services Team at NTI worked with Nam to find part time work in the IT field while he completed his program and assisted with placement through their connections at Maine Medical Center. Nam says, “Thanks, NTI, for opening the path to a successful future for me and my family.”
From chaos to confidence
Current NTI student Jessica Sullivan is attending the Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) program at the Scarborough campus. She’s the mother of 3 children – Isaac, 9; Noah, 2, and Olivia, 6 months and thought it unlikely she’d have the time or resources to go back to school. But with NTI’s unique ‘Flex-Train’ system, Jessica was able to custom design her own training schedule to fit the classes into her busy life.
When Jessica began attending NTI, she was working 50-60 hours a week at two different jobs and was pregnant with Olivia. Jessica isn’t even due to graduate until July 2015, but she recently accepted a position as a Medical Assistant at Chest Medicine Associates.
Northeast Technical Institute’s staff and faculty are proud of Salvi, Nam, Jessica and the thousands of NTI students and alumni who have conquered their personal challenges to achieve a better life through education.
About Northeast Technical Institute
Northeast Technical Institute is Maine’s only locally owned and operated accredited career training school with campuses in Bangor, Scarborough and an extension campus in Lewiston. NTI is a VA approved school in Bangor and Scarborough and offers Federal Financial Aid for many of its programs and for those who qualify in all campuses. With its short-term, hands-on approach to training, NTI graduates are job-ready, may earn national certification and are prepared to meet the industry’s overwhelming needs and demands for qualified professionals. The school offers in-demand training for a range of medical programs, including Medical Assistant, Medical Lab Assistant, Medical Coding and Billing, Phlebotomy, Information Technology (PC Repair, Network Administration), HVAC/R and CDL Truck Driving. Classes start each week or month for most programs.
