April Striplin
Children’s Hospital & Research Center, Oakland
“I went to work at Children’s Hospital to do better for myself,” says April Striplin, 23, an employee there since 2004. “When I saw they were offering Sterile Processing Training, I thought‘this would be a good starting place for me.’ It’s something I am interested in.” Striplin recently completed training to become a Sterile Processing Technician at Children’s Hospital & Research Center, Oakland. The Education Fund, in cooperation with Skyline College and through a grant to the Shirley Ware Education Center from the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, provided the training to employees of Children’s and Kaiser to help meet the Bay Area’s growing need for additional sterile processing technicians. “I think it’s great that Children’s Hospital and the union are working together to provide these kinds of opportunities,” Striplin says. “It lets people know that you don’t have to just settle. You can move up. I’m just so grateful.” Before receiving the training, Striplin worked as a food service cashier at Children’s. She’ll make from $3 to $6 more an hour in her new position. “I want to make more money, but I also want to do something I like.”