Laurel Institutes, a well-known family of post-secondary technical schools founded in 1985 in Western Pennsylvania, is providing residents of York County, SC, and surrounding areas a new state-of-the-art healthcare educational facility at 127 Ben Casey Drive, Suite 101, in Fort Mill, SC.
Laurel Institute of Technology’s Ft. Mill school will offer post-secondary students the opportunity to earn a Diploma in Cardiovascular Technology in just 16 months. The first class will begin this fall on September 13, 2023. Day and night programs will be offered.
“We opened a school in Ft. Mill because we learned that healthcare providers in the area are specifically in need of more trained allied health professionals,” said Nancy Decker, President of Laurel Institutes. “We’re excited about the York County region because the healthcare system is rapidly expanding, but they need skilled technicians so they can continue to grow and service the community’s residents. Currently, employers in the medical community can’t find enough qualified employees to fill all of their openings. Laurel has a long history of providing quality healthcare training and wants to be part of the solution and provide individuals with the skills, training, and certifications that are needed to help grow the economy in the region. Furthermore, there is a strong connection in the Charlotte area to Western Pennsylvania, so we felt this community was the perfect fit for us.”
In 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that healthcare openings are projected to grow 13 percent between 2021 and 2031. Specifically, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 10 percent increase in openings for cardiovascular technologists and technicians. Cardiovascular Technology (CVT) students are trained in the performance of non-invasive cardiac testing, such as EKG (ECG) and cardiac sonography/echo tech procedures, which provide valuable recorded data utilized in cardiac medical evaluation. Cardiovascular technicians perform diagnostic, administrative, and clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by the physician.
The new CVT program will train students to be vital contributors to the health and well-being of our communities, which we feel is so important right now. The material covered in the CVT program will introduce students to how to perform cardiac sonography/echocardiogram procedures and provide preparation for graduates to take the national certification examination to become a Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) and Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) through Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). The program will have access to a well-designed and equipped skills lab for experiential learning that students will utilize throughout the program to prepare them for certifications, critical thinking, and patient care. Students will take courses in Anatomy & Physiology, Phlebotomy, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Medical Law & Ethics, Cardiac Sonography, Cardiovascular Technology, Non-invasive Cardiology, and much more! With small class sizes and great faculty, Laurel has high hopes of helping build great healthcare workers for the community and surrounding areas. In addition, Laurel Institute of Technology is establishing healthcare affiliations with many of the area’s leading healthcare systems. The students in Laurel Institute of Technology’s healthcare programs will receive invaluable employment opportunities from all affiliations.
Founded in 1985, Laurel family of schools, including Laurel College of Technology, Laurel Business Institute (LBI), and Laurel Technical Institute (LTI), is a well-known post-secondary technical school organization that offers hands-on training and small class sizes, taught by highly skilled and experienced instructors. Laurel convenes annual program advisory committees comprised of local employer and community stakeholders to evaluate and review the curriculum as well as guide the institution’s development.
In addition to the new Fort Mill school, Laurel has three other locations throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia, including Hermitage, Morgantown, and Uniontown. In addition to licensure by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Laurel is licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools under the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the State of West Virginia. Students are eligible to apply to participate in federal and state financial aid programs as the school is accredited nationally by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. In addition, Laurel Institutes was named as one of the top 25 two-year trade schools by Niche in 2023.
Other specialized associate degree programs are offered online through Laurel College of Technology, LBI, and LTI, including Medical Lab Technician, Medical Billing and Coding, Accounting and Business Administration, Cloud Computing, Culinary Arts, and Early Childhood Education. On-ground programs offered at various Laurel schools include Nursing; Respiratory Therapy; Skilled Trades, such as Electrical and Welding; Cosmetology; Computer Networking; and Culinary Arts. The school has plans to add more programs in the future.
Enrollment for the first class is currently underway, with the next class starting September 13, 2023. Prospective students are invited to visit Laurel’s website, www.laurel.edu, to schedule a personal tour of the new facility Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Conveniently located in Fort Mill, SC, Laurel Institute of Technology is a short drive from interstate I-77 (Exits 88 or 85) off of Highway 160 in the new One Sixty West II Medical Building. For more information, visit www.laurel.edu or call 803-802-0700.