Hundreds take state-paid nursing assistant training
January 20, 2022 10:44AM CST
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hundreds of Minnesotans are taking advantage of the state’s offer to cover the cost of training to become a certified nursing assistant.
The state has used $3.5 million in federal relief funding to pay for students’ tuition, textbooks, and certification exams in hopes of alleviating staffing shortages in long-term care facilities and veterans’ homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 500 Minnesotans have enrolled in state training programs offered through the Minnesota State college system and HeartCert, a private provider.
State officials say nursing assistants are the sixth highest in-demand job in Minnesota and earn a median wage of about $37,300 per year.
