Bishop State PTA program trains future therapists for growing demand

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) -- Sometimes our life experiences lead us to our choice of career. That's the case for Cannon Pene, a second-year student in the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Bishop State Community College. "I used to pursue racing motocross at a professional level," Pene said.

"I've sustained a couple of injuries, and there's one to my shoulder that was very big." "I saw the right therapist and the PTAs, and they were loving what they did, had a lot of knowledge in the human body, and so that fueled my passion for physical therapy ultimately," he said. Now, Pene's on his way to becoming a PTA and said the training has helped him perfect his craft. "We see a lot of real-life scenarios here in the lab that translate to the clinic when we go and do our clinicals, and being able to practice this in real time," Pene said. Physical therapist assistants work with people to help them improve their balance, coordination, and other things that help them feel like their old selves again after injuries or the development of symptoms that come with aging.

"As we age, we tend to lose some balance. We may have issues with dizziness, or we may need certain surgeries," Bishop State PTA Program Director Dr. Gail Williamson said. Due in part to our aging population, Williamson said the need for PTAs is growing.

"The workforce demand is predicted to increase in the high 20s to up to 30% over the next decade or so, because as we age, we need a little bit more TLC," Williamson said. "We are taking more of a primary role in health to get referrals to prevent some of the things, such as falls, dizziness, balance, problems that may manifest as we age." Williamson is proud to say Bishop State's PTA program is working successfully to fill demand. "We have many of our students who leave the program with a job offer in hand," Williamson said. "We have a 100% employment rate because people are reaching out to us to ask about our graduates and our upcoming graduates." Pene looks forward to beginning his career as a PTA, and maybe even one day getting his doctorate in Physical Therapy.

"I want to help as many people as I can, especially those in sports, because I want to get those people, and really just anybody, back to their functioning being," Pene said. He plans to stay on the Gulf Coast while doing so, to continue Powering Progress in Alabama's workforce.