GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. - A community college in the Triad is giving students a shortcut to make up for lost time.
Guilford Technical Community College offers a 20-week "basic skills plus" program, allowing students to get their GED and nursing assistant certification at the same time.
The program is also tuition-free.
Students learn the traditional curriculum, but with real applications for a career.
"So when you're talking about math you're going to interject information on how you're going to use math as a nursing assistant, how you're going to use math in other health careers. When we talk about history, we talk about the history and the development of certification, the boards that govern what we do in the health care profession," GTCC Health Careers Director Warren Crows said.
Students have to pass a rigorous application process to qualify for the program. The North Carolina Community College System is funding the program.