New Haven CT April 12 2018 Nineteen-year-old Tytainya Gaines is a certified emergency medical responder, and she’s working her way through an emergency medical technician program. On Tuesday she also became a licensed unarmed security officer.

The Hillhouse senior, along with 12 of her fellow students in her high school’s Law, Public Safety, and Health Academy, recently completed the Securitas training program. On Tuesday they received certificates that prove they’re licensed to work.

Gaines said she was steered toward racking up the certifications by academy coordinator William Garraty because it would allow her good job opportunities whether she decides to go to college or not.

“I do want to go to Gateway for nursing,” she said. But in the meantime, she’s interested in becoming an EMT and actually getting the opportunity to work on an ambulance.

“I like the idea of being a first responder and the adrenaline rush,” she said. “But I really like the idea that I get to be one of the first people there to help.”

Garraty said he likes that licensing and certification programs like the one provided by Securitas provide students with the types of credentials that translate into public safety jobs. The two-day training program that Securitas provides usually costs about $150 but Hillhouse students in the public safety academy get to take it for free.

This is the third year that Securitas has offered the training at Hillhouse. Some 45 students have received their unarmed security guard license through the program.

Garraty said for the student who happens to have a serious interest in law enforcement, the license offers them the opportunity to work in an entry-level public safety job where they can learn first aid and customer service skills that will look good to a recruiter on their resume.

“A police officer recruiter will look at this and say, ‘You’re really into this,’” he said.

In addition to the security guard license program, the EMR and EMT programs, Hillhouse’s academy also offers a certified nursing assistant program too.

Hillhouse Principal Glen Worthy said all part of making sure that students have options after high school.

“We know that all of our kids aren’t going to college so we want them to have a chance at obtaining as many certifications as possible so that they will be employable,” he said. “And even if they do ultimately decide to go to college, having these certifications and licenses means that they can work and go to school without having to rely so much on mom and dad.”

He said the certifications help students like Gaines open their eyes to all of the possibilities that are available to them.

New Haven Independent

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