Saddleback’s Economic and Workforce Development Office was awarded a $140,000 Workforce Investment Initiative - Regional Equity and Recovery Partnerships (RERP) grant to place 47 students into the Medical Lab Technician (MLT) program and get them into jobs after program completion. The grant project will be done in collaboration with the OC Workforce Development Board.
The MLT Certificate of Achievement program prepares students for employment as an MLT working in a clinical medical laboratory, performing a wide variety of routine laboratory procedures in both public and private laboratories serving the health care sector. Completion of prerequisite courses will be required prior to entering the program. The program course of study is a combination of instruction in principles of laboratory theory and techniques as well as clinical experience at affiliated medical laboratories. Students learn to perform routine laboratory procedures in phlebotomy, microbiology, clinical chemistry, hematology, coagulation, immunology, immunohematology, and urinalysis. They also will learn to operate and maintain clinical laboratory equipment.
Graduates of the program qualify for State of California/Department of Public Health, Laboratory Field Services-approved MLT certification examinations sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) Board of Certification or by the American Association of Bioanalysts (ABB) Board of Registry to become California-licensed medical laboratory technicians.
The OC Workforce Development Board will refer Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-funded clients into our MLT program. Our target population will include first generation college students, immigrants, low-income communities, and veterans.