Scottsdale Community College is offering a Community Health Care Worker Certificate program to address the growing need for community health workers.

The 16-18 credit program takes just over one year to complete, and classes start for the spring semester March 18.

The program is suited for individuals who are new to the health care field or for those already in the field who want to grow their ability to work in community-oriented health systems.

The certification provides the opportunity to enter the workforce quickly or prepares an individual to pursue a two-year or four-year degree program.

According to the program description, job opportunities for community health workers are projected to increase 36% between 2020 and 2030. There are opportunities in public health organizations, ambulatory clinics, hospitals, insurance companies and nonprofit organizations.

Program director Angelica Backalukas can be contacted at angelica.backalukas@scottsdalecc.edu or 480-423-6234, or visit bit.ly/scc-chw-program for more information.