Prisma Health apprenticeship propels Piedmont Technical College student Megan Craine toward nursing degree

Megan Craine has childhood memories of volunteering at the senior care facility in Laurens where her mother works.

“I used to go there after school and I would help push patients back and forth to therapy,” she said. “I had my little volunteer badge that I was so proud of at the time. All the elderly patients would light up because they love seeing kids around.”

Those experiences ignited Craine’s passion for healthcare. This month she will graduate from Piedmont Technical College (PTC) with an associate degree in nursing.

Craine said that her apprenticeship with Prisma Health, which began in January 2025, has helped her complete her educational journey.

After graduating from high school, Craine went to Lander University. She started out in the nursing program but eventually changed majors and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2018. But within a couple of years, she was yearning to care for patients.

Craine started working as a patient care technician at Prisma Health in 2020. She eventually learned about an apprenticeship opportunity with Prisma that led to her enrolling in PTC’s nursing program.

“I knew this was the best chance I was going to get to go back to school and have them help me financially with it,” she said.

Her apprenticeship enables Craine to work 12 hours a week at Prisma’s orthopedic trauma unit in Greenville.

PTC nursing instructor Tiffany Williams said Craine’s past healthcare experience was a key asset.

“Megan came in prepared and was already many steps ahead of the other students with her clinical knowledge.” Williams said. “She impressed me with how she just jumped in and started doing things without being directed because she already had some experience working through Prisma.”

Williams said apprenticeships are a “huge benefit” for students like Craine because they “blend learning with real work experience, which is crucial for producing high-quality nurses in this field.”

“Megan has thrived in this program through her work ethic and through opportunities like the apprenticeship at Prisma,” Williams said. “Megan has a drive of her own, but this apprenticeship has been invaluable to her achieving high success in the nursing program.”

PTC Associate Dean of Students David Rosenbaum said employers like Prisma Health deserve credit for offering apprenticeships.

“Prisma has provided students like Megan tremendous support to get through the academic challenges,” he said. “As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, it is exciting to me to see students have these experiences.”