Lake Land College along with Sarah Bush Lincoln is announcing a new partnership that will create an educational pathway to a high-demand career in healthcare as a central service technician.  Lake Land is offering two new sterile processing courses.  Students enrolled are training for a career as a central service technician.  This job prepares surgical, laboratory, and other healthcare equipment for use by performing routine sterilization, installation, and inspection procedures.  Sarah Bush Lincoln will be providing clinical supervision and scholarship support. 

These courses start as a starting point and pipeline for a full Surgical Technologist degree program that is currently in development for next year. The program will be submitted to the Illinois Community College Board for approval.  Sarah Bush Lincoln is also providing tuition assistance scholarships to students in the exam review class and the clinical practicum.  

The first course, Central Service Technician Exam Review, equips students with the knowledge and classroom foundation necessary to perform the duties required. The second course is an immersive practicum designed to provide students with 400 hours of clinical experience.  Both courses can be taken together and they will prepare students for the exams needed to get the job. 

Sterile processing technicians earn on average up to $62,960 with a starting salary of $41,480.  There has also been steady job growth, with nearly 4,000 new sterile processing tech positions projected throughout the country over the next ten years. For more information, contact Erin Swingler, division chair at 217-234-5448 or at eswingler@lakelandcollege.edu.