The Allied Health Certificate Program at Massachusetts' Bunker Hill Community College has been successfully integrating academic and vocational education since 1986. The integration of English as a Second Language, academic education, and occupational training was a direct response to requests from business and industry for a competitive workforce. To date, the program has trained 560 students from the Greater Boston area for patient care positions in health care facilities. The target population of the program has been low income and/or welfare recipients who have had limited success in school. Over the past three evaluation cycles, enrolling a yearly average of 100 students, the program had a 90% retention rate with over 50% of participants receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Key elements of the program include the following: (1) occupational skills training; (2) integrated basic education and skills training; (3) basic and advanced college courses; (4) employment skills training; (5) innovative teaching methods, such as hands-on activities, role playing, and tutoring; (6) college credits for students; (7) established relationships with area health care providers; (8) academic and personal counseling; (9) individualized career planning; (10) training in job search skills and placement assistance; (11) effective management tools to track student progress; (12) the use of student portfolios; and (13) outcomes tracking. The occupational training offers five certificate programs: patient care assistant, medical assistant, medical lab assistant, phlebotomy technician, and health careers preparation. (KP)