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Students, start your health care career as a CDCP.

Are you looking to make a difference in people’s lives? Would you like to see if a health care career is right for you? Now you can get your start as a certified direct care professional – for free. Watch this video to learn more about WisCaregiver Careers and the opportunities students are talking about.

How the program works

It’s easy for anyone – high school students included – to begin a health care career as a certified direct care professional. The WisCaregiver Careers CDCP program is free – and online.

Complete the free, 30-hour online training program at your own pace
Receive your CDCP designation and a $250 completion bonus if you work for a qualified WisCaregiver Careers provider
Get named to Wisconsin’s Certified Direct Care Professional Registry
Connect with employers in your community – and throughout Wisconsin
Work six months at a qualified employer and earn a second $250 bonus
Amplify your resume with your CDCP certification
Upskill your resume with microcredentials
Grow into future positions, like certified nurse aide (CNA)

What do CDCPs do?

As a certified direct care professional, CDCPs improve the quality of life for people who are elderly or have a disability. The on-the-job role of a CDCP may include:

Where do CDCPs work?

CDCPs have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. Employers may include:

Personal or home health agencies
Adult family homes (one-to four-bed)
Community based residential care facilities
Residential care apartment complexes
Participants in the Include, Respect, I Self Direct (IRIS) program
Children with complex service and support needs

Once students earn their CDCP certification, they will be added to Wisconsin’s official Certified Direct Care Professional Registry. WisCaregiver Connections serves to connect employers and CDCPs.

Why do students love the CDCP program?

Flexibility. WisCaregiver Careers allows students to learn how to help others, earn industry recognized credentials, connect with employers, and work almost any time that fits a busy schedule. In high school, students can:

Take the CDCP training course as part of an existing health science course
Complete the CDCP program as part of an independent study
Complete the CDCP program individually, on their own time
Highlight the CDCP certification badge on their resume
Ladder into additional health care roles

Students also love the fact that CDCPs are eligible to earn a $500 bonus through a qualified employer

But there’s more: Earn $250 more for every referral

In addition to the $500 incentive participants are eligible to earn through employment in the field, CDCPs can also earn an additional $250 for every friend referred to the program.

Here’s how it works.

Individuals referred by a CDCP to the WisCaregiver Careers certified direct care program must:

Be certified on the registry to qualify for a friend referral
Register for online training at WisCaregiverCDCP.com
Provide a CDCP’s name and email address on their registration form (only one referral can be listed on each individual registration form)
Successfully complete CDCP training and earn certification

There is no limit to the number of friends a CDCP can refer. What’s more, friends who become certified direct care professionals are also eligible for a $500 bonus through qualified employers. Learn more about all the WisCaregiver Careers CDCP referral incentives here.