Hundreds of El Pasoans have recently been laid off from their jobs.

Levi Strauss and Company and Phelps Dodge are two companies to recently close in El Paso.

But one community program is making it a smoother transition for folks who want to explore getting into the health-care profession.

Caring for an injured patient isn't an easy job especially if you don't have a health care background.

Jason Keener says, "I was doing office work, since medical school didn't look prosperous at the moment, I dropped out of school and and started doing office work. "

Jason Keener is like many other El Pasoans who are stepping into a new field with the help of Project ARRIBA which stands for Advanced Retraining and Redevelopment Initiative in Border Areas, at El Paso Community College.

These students are taking nursing courses.

Nemecio Meraz once worked for Levi Strauss and Company.

Meraz says, "Actually we were the first, the company that was laid off permanently in 1998."

Funded by the private sector and federal grants, Project ARRIBA takes low income El Pasoans, displaced workers, people who are unemployed or underemployed and puts them through training for health-care occupations.

Nemecio says, "They help you in every aspect in your process in order for you to get to the point where your at and to be able to graduate."

Jason says, "They're paying for my tuition, they also pay for my books."

Helen Roberts says, "I have had a few graduates who've done exceptionally well who really felt that they weren't sure that they just weren't sure because this isn't anything similar than they've done before."

And perhaps it may be tough to get the hang of the health-care field, but it's sure to pay off.

Here are more details on Project ARRIBA.

Project ARRIBA is going on it's fifth year.

This work development program helps low income El Pasoans, displaced workers, those that are unemployed or under-employed get training to enter the health-care field.

Classes are held at EPCC.

For more information call 843-4055