ZIP Advertisement Student interest in one career path soared during the pandemic. Experts hope it's a turning point Share Updated: 2:24 PM CDT May 9, 2021 By Christina Maxouris, CNN Student interest in one career path soared during the pandemic. Experts hope it's a turning point Share Updated: 2:24 PM CDT May 9, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript NURSING PROGRAMS IN THE STATE, AND ONE THAT CONTINUES TO GROW IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19. ASHLEY O’NEILL: THERE’S ALWAYS A NEED FOR NURSES, I THINK. SO I JUST THINK, ALL AROUND, IT’S JUST A GREAT PROFESSION TO GET INTO. AND ONCE YOU HAVE THAT DEGREE, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS. TIM: AND THAT IS A PART OF WHAT IS DRIVING MORE STUDENTS TO T CCBC CAMPUS IN ESSEX. LILLY BENDER: YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT WHEN YOU GO INTO THIS FIELD, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO STICK TO IT. TIM: OVER THE SUMMER, CCBC OPENED A NEW $63 MILLION STATE OF THE ART HEALTH PROFESSIONS BUILDING IT’S HELPING PREPARE MORE NURSES TO WORK ON THE FRONT LINES IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. DR. SHAWN MCNAMARA: EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND IT NOW. OUR WHOLE STRUCTURE IS BASED ON SOCIAL DSTANCING, AND A DIFFERENT WAY OF PROVIDING AN EDUCATION. BUT WE’RE STILL ABLE TO DO LABS AND SMALL GROUPS AND THEN CLINICAL SETTINGS WITH THE HOSPITAL. ASHLEY O’NEILL: I JUST REALLY WANTED A PROFESSION WHERE I HAD A LOT OF OPTIONS. AND I HAD A DESK JOB BEFORE, AND I WANTED SOMETHING WHERE I WOULD ALWAYS BE UP AND WORKING AND MOVING AND JUST BEING NEEDED. TIM: FOR NOW AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE. LILLY BENDER: I THINK IT’S VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS A NEED FOR NURSES, AND ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, WE’RE NEVER GOING TO BE O OF A JOB. DR. SHAWN MCNAMARA: I THINK IT REALLY IS A MISSION-DRIVEN HEALTH CARE, AND TODAY, ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, WHEN THAT FIRST CAME AROUND, IN THAT IT’S LIFE THREATENING AND SO WHEN YOU ENTER INTO THESE PROFESSIONS, YOU TAKE A RISK, AND THAT IS BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE. TIM: CCBC’S SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS OFFERS 15 DEGREE PROGRAMS AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS IN WORKFORCE TRAINING. DURING THE COURSE OF THE TWO YEAR PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL GE THE CHANCE TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AT LOCAL HOSPITAL ON THE CAMPUS OF THE COM