For the past 20 years, Angela Johnson has worked in healthcare, beginning her healthcare career as a Medical Assistant, and becoming a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) for the California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) at Folsom State Prison in 2009. Though Angela had long hoped to advance her career by becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), there was no clear path to this goal since the demands of attending nursing school while working in the correctional facility were at odds with one another. Spurred by a desire for a new challenge in her professional life, Angela declared, “I knew in my heart that it was time for career growth.”
When the CCHCS LVN to RN Apprenticeship Expansion Program was launched at Sacramento City College in partnership with SEIU Local 1000, Angela was excited to take advantage of this opportunity to pursue her dreams. Angela applied to the program’s third cohort offering and was selected as a nursing apprentice. Through her hard work and the support of SEIU Local 1000 and CCHCS, Angela graduated in the Fall of 2023 with honors from the nursing program at Sacramento City College and completed her apprenticeship journey. Angela obtained her nursing license in February 2024 and began a new chapter in her career as a Registered Nurse at California State Prison—Sacramento in June 2024. When asked about her new role, Angela shared, “My professional life now is extremely challenging. I'm learning and doing a lot of new things. I'm navigating through unfamiliar territory, trying to figure it all out as I care for my patients. Becoming a RN has brought back that spark, my passion for nursing has been revived!” In the future, Angela hopes to continue her education by obtaining her Bachelor's in Nursing / Public Health Nurse.
The CCHCS LVN to RN Apprenticeship Expansion Program that Angela participated in is administered through a joint partnership between labor and management to effectively administer the program to benefit both workers and employers. This program was launched through the support of a California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) grant and aims to serve eligible LVNs working at designated correctional facilities in the greater Sacramento area. Subsequent financial support from H-CAP through a Department of Labor grant provided resources for program needs not covered by the CAI grant. Harnessing the power of labor-management partnership and apprenticeship, the program aims to improve the availability and quality of healthcare delivered to California’s inmate population, as well as eradicate barriers encountered when pursuing a nursing degree, such as tuition, materials costs, and work schedules.
“On a personal level the apprenticeship has improved my quality of life. I'm able to travel and do more of the things that bring me joy. Also, the salary increase has allowed me to be a better provider for my family.”
Reflecting on what her apprenticeship experience has meant to her, Angela stated, “The apprenticeship has changed my life immensely. It has ignited my nursing career and I'm excited for what the future holds professionally. On a personal level the apprenticeship has improved my quality of life. I'm able to travel and do more of the things that bring me joy. Also, the salary increase has allowed me to be a better provider for my family. My biggest takeaway from the apprenticeship is that of RESILIENCE. If you stay the course, no matter how bumpy the ride is, you'll eventually reach your destination. One of my favorite quotes about not giving up is by Robert F. Kennedy, who said, ‘Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.’ This definitely rings true for my nursing school journey.”
Angela added of the unique support provided through the program, “I'm forever grateful for the support and resources provided by the apprenticeship program. Several things motivated me to join the LVN-to-RN apprenticeship program. One of my biggest motivators is to be an inspiration to other nurses! My hope is that others can take advantage of this amazing opportunity, too. I constantly encourage LVNs in my workplace to apply for the apprenticeship. It truly makes working and attending a rigorous nursing program possible. And the added bonus is that you don't have to sacrifice your income while you’re doing it, as this is often the dilemma many people face when deciding if the time is right to return to school or not.”
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