Lane College Partners with CVS Health To Prepare Students for the Workforce

Lane College has partnered with CME church and CVS Health to give students real life work experience before graduation. The Workforce Innovation Talent Center will simulate a CVS store at both the retail and pharmaceutical level.

“So, the CVS Workforce Innovation and Talent Center is developed to help individuals to gain the experience they need to go to work at the CVS stores...” explains Senior Manager of CVS Health, Duane Rohr.

This partnership will offer scholarships, internships, life skill mentoring, clinical experience and career opportunities for students at Lane College. 39 News spoke with the senior manager of CVS Health Duane Rohr

“So, we are teaching pharmacy technicians. we teach customer service, we teach merchandising, register skills to help skilled individuals to go to work.”

Rohr explains that this program was created for people from all walks of life.

“Our department works with groups of individuals who are usually overlooked for positions. and we work with individuals with disabilities, veterans, youth, mature workers, faith-based community, second chance individuals.

Professor of Biology, Melanie Van Stry helped create the new curriculum.

“So, we have a new pre-pharmacy track within the chemistry major. so, the students there will be able to take all of the prerequisite courses that they need for pharmacy school and so, they'll be able to matriculate to a doctor pharmacy program such as the one offered at union university.”

The biology professor also explains a second new course offered at Lane.

“We also have a new pharmacy tech certification. This is a 25-credit certification where the students will receive training here within the city to be a pharmacy technician. and they will also have the opportunity to do an internship with CVS at a real pharmacy.”

The grand opening ended with the official ribbon cutting and a tour of the new CVS center. If you would like to learn more about the CVS Workforce program, you can visit lanecollege.edu