With a perfect location on Hwy 25-70 in Marshall, A-B Tech Madison is locally committed to our students and community. Since the fall semester of 2014, we have served 1753 students (969 curriculum and 784 continuing education). We serve students of all ages and are proud to offer excellent courses and instructors to prepare students for the demanding healthcare/emergency service fields in both continuing education and curriculum programs.
- Nurse Aide I is a short-term credentialing training course that enables individuals to go to work as caregivers in a healthcare setting such as a nursing home, hospital, or home healthcare. Both day and evening classes are offered on a year-round schedule. Upon successful completion of the Nurse Aide I course, students take the North Carolina Nurse Aide I exam for state certification. This course can be the initial step in discovering your interest in many allied health careers available and is also a requirement for students interested in A-B Tech's Associate Degree Nursing program. According to A-B Tech's Job Board, this career has grown by 4% over the last two years and is expected to grow by 11% over the next ten years. The average Certified Nursing Assistant salary in North Carolina is $33,498 as of May 01, 2023, but the range typically falls between $30,531 and $36,988. Over the last 12 months, 31 local businesses have posted jobs for nursing assistants. Tuition for the Nurse Aide I course is currently $242, with textbooks costing approximately $90.
On the emergency services/healthcare side, there are four main levels of credentials for emergency responders in North Carolina. A-B Tech Madison offers the first two:
- Medical Responder is a course for volunteer firefighters and some law enforcement officers.
- EMT-Initial introduces basic emergency medical care. Topics include preparatory airway management, patient assessment, handling medical emergencies, trauma emergencies, dealing with infants and children, and EMS operations. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve North Carolina state credentials and the National Registry EMT certification.
A-B Tech Madison also offers Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)for Healthcare Providers, which teaches the critical skills of high-quality CPR, the ability to recognize several life-threatening emergencies, how to use an AED, and how to relieve choking in a safe, timely, and effective manner.
Curriculum healthcare classes at A-B Tech Madison are BIO 163 (Basic Anatomy & Physiology), BIO 168 (Anatomy & Physiology I), and BIO 169 (Anatomy & Physiology II). These classes are fully equipped with microscopes, bones, muscles, and other high-quality training supplies and equipment. As one of the instructors shared, these are also excellent elective courses for science transfer students!
- BIO 163 is a pre-admission requirement for Dental Hygiene A.A.S. This course provides a basic study of the structure and function of the human body. Topics include a basic study of body systems as well as an introduction to homeostasis, cells, tissues, nutrition, acid-base balance, and electrolytes.
- Both BIO 168 and BIO 169 are pre-admission requirements for the Associate Degree Nursing program. These courses provide a comprehensive study of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. BIO 168 topics include body organization, homeostasis, cytology, histology, and the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. BIO 169 topics include endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems as well as metabolism, nutrition, acid-base balance, and fluid & electrolyte balance.
Excellent scholarships (Golden LEAF, Elizabeth G. Baker, SECU) and sponsorship opportunities (WIOA) are available for several continuing education courses. Scholarships can assist with tuition and could possibly assist with textbooks and other supplies needed, as well as the end-of-course exams. Madison County residents may be awarded Golden LEAF scholarships even if the course they want to take is on the Asheville Campus. As an example, ophthalmic assisting is a growing field with a current need of 3500 ophthalmic medical technicians in the United States and Canada. A-B Tech has a nationally accredited Ophthalmic Assisting program to provide training to meet this need. The average salary for an ophthalmic technician in North Carolina is $36,000 per year. Ophthalmic technician salaries in North Carolina can vary between $21,000 to $54,500 and depend on various factors, including skills, experience, employer, bonuses, tips, and more. Ophthalmic medical personnel is part of a professional team of eye care providers, supplying vital information to the physician in treating patients with eye disease, vision problems, and surgery.
With our healthcare classes at A-B Tech Madison, our community is learning new skills to help them improve their lives. We are proud to say that your journey in healthcare or higher education begins at A-B Tech. Our focus is to meet the needs of the community by offering courses that will help change lives and improve standards of living. We believe A-B Tech Madison is the best-kept secret in Madison County!
The Ferguson Center for Allied Health & Workforce Development will open for classes in January. A 1/4-cent sales tax from Buncombe County and a generous $5 million donation from Jack and Carolyn Ferguson enabled us to construct a state-of-the-art building designed to meet the workforce training needs of healthcare providers throughout the region.