Tasharea Leconte is a Direct Support Professional (DSP) Registered Apprentice who completed her apprenticeship in December 2024.
For Tasharea life has never been a straight path. “Before this I was working, I actually went and got my degree in fashion from The Catherine Gibbs School in Manhattan!” Tasharea has harnessed that creativity by bringing it to her role as a Direct Support Professional Apprentice. “I love crafting with my clients it lightens up their whole day!”
So how did Tasharea with a fashion degree get into healthcare? “I always wanted to be in fashion, probably since middle school when I started taking classes in design through BOCES,” she says. That experience led Tasharea to retail work at Macy’s before realizing her true passion for people was to help them from a clinical standpoint. She was worried she’d have to start all over again, but realized entering healthcare through a Registered Apprenticeship could give her the experience she needed while also earning money and college credits on the job. Tasharea entered the apprenticeship though Schenectady ARC and immediately began taking courses at SUNY Schenectady County Community College across the street.
Tasharea admits that her perception of “apprenticeship” was a little skewed. “I knew that it involved working with a mentor but I didn’t realize you could apprentice in the field of healthcare. Also, I had no idea that I would receive so much support to build my knowledge and skills while in the field from my employer.”
Additionally, Tasharea admits that the thought of taking another set of college level courses was a bit daunting at first for her. However, she immediately fell in love with her professors and classes at SUNY Schenectady. One class in particular stands out to her; the “Psychology of Disabilities” course she took while apprenticing. “I loved learning about the people I’d be helping at my job. Learning and working together allowed me to truly understand in more depth the differences in people with disabilities that I see in my job every day.”
Tasharea goes on to say how inspiring her classes have been for her to continue towards completing another degree. With the support of the Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY funding, Tasharea received tuition reimbursement for the DSP Certificate issued from SUNY Schenectady and a New York State Department of Labor Journeyworker card. Both credentials allow her new opportunities to progress in her role, even if she were to move out of Schenectady or out of state. For now, Tasharea is focused on the excitement of her new career in healthcare and the idea that the sky is the limit on what she can achieve from there.
*Schenectady ARC is now an affiliate under Liberty ARC
