Piedmont Technical College Dual Enrollment student enhances her education with apprenticeship at Self Regional Healthcare

Yusti Goswami stays busy pursuing her educational goals.

The senior at Greenwood High School has been taking courses at Piedmont Technical College (PTC) as a Dual Enrollment student since 2024. And for the past year, she’s worked 12-hour weekend shifts as a patient care assistant through an apprenticeship with Self Regional Healthcare.

Her duties at Self Regional involve taking the vital signs of patients, as well as helping to feed and bathe them. She also spends time shadowing nurses, peppering them with questions to gain knowledge.

“I’ve learned so much in the job. I think it will be really helpful,” said Goswami, who plans to enroll in PTC’s Radiologic Technology program this fall.

One of Goswami’s teachers at PTC and her supervisor at Self Regional both offered effusive praise for the hard-working 18-year-old.

PTC biology instructor Dr. Pamela Jackson described Goswami as a “wonderful, caring, enthusiastic, dedicated, hardworking and intelligent individual” who is an “example of how to prepare for a career while still in high school.”

“It is wonderful to have a student that is driven to be successful in their education and seek opportunities to prepare them for their future,” Jackson said. “Yusti Goswami is an example of how to explore potential career paths through an apprenticeship while also earning educational degrees.”

Abritta Carter, a clinical educator Self Regional, said Goswami “consistently approaches her work with a willingness to learn, asks thoughtful questions and seeks opportunities to improve her skills.”

“Her engagement with both patients and team members reflects a strong commitment to providing quality care and being a supportive part of the team,” Carter said. 

“Throughout her time at Self Regional, Yusti has gained valuable hands-on experience that continues to strengthen her clinical knowledge and confidence,” Carter said. “She has shown growth in her ability to apply what she is learning in real-time patient care situations, which is a key component of her development.”

Carter also said Goswami’s progress “highlights the value of apprenticeship-style learning.”

“Programs like this allow individuals to build practical skills while working in a real healthcare environment, bridging the gap between classroom learning and patient care,” she said. “Yusti’s experience is a great example of how apprenticeships can foster both competence and confidence in emerging healthcare professionals.”

Goswami said she believes that apprenticeships are an option that other students should consider.

“Anyone going into healthcare would really benefit from having an apprenticeship at the hospital,” she said.

PTC Associate Dean of Student David Rosenbaum said apprenticeships “can be a great strategy for the skilled jobs of today and tomorrow.”

“As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, it is exciting to me to see students have these experiences,” Rosenbaum said. “It is wonderful that Self Regional is providing bright students like Yusti with a chance to explore the healthcare field.”