What Does the Success of an Alabama Nursing Apprenticeship Program Mean Nationwide?

• A first-of-its-kind nursing apprenticeship program in Alabama combines academic instruction with real-world training — and is among the approaches being used to address the nursing shortage. 
• Nationwide, certified nurse assistant (CNA) and registered nurse resident are among the top 30 apprenticeships in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
• The U.S. Department of Labor reports that nearly 25,000 apprentices worked across the healthcare industry in 2023 alone.

A first-of-its-kind nursing apprenticeship program in Alabama combines academic instruction with real-world training — and is among the myriad approaches to address the nursing shortage.

Gadsden State Community College’s (GSCC) nursing apprenticeship program, which was established in 2022, is the result of a partnership between the state’s Office of Apprenticeship, Board of Nursing, and Community College System, according to a college news release. 

Dr. Cynthia Mullinax, director of GSCC’s Nursing Program, said the apprenticeship program is a testament to the “importance of collaboration between education and healthcare sectors” and represents a milestone in healthcare education. 

Nationwide, certified nurse assistant (CNA) and registered nurse resident are among the top 30 apprenticeships in the country, according to fiscal year 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Labor. Implementation of nursing-focused apprenticeships programs has occurred, in some cases, as a result of legislative action. 

Alabama Nursing Apprenticeship Program Success

More than 30 students, including Halle Davenport, currently hold healthcare-related apprenticeships in northeast Alabama through the GCSS program. 

“It has given me great patient experience to prepare me for the workforce when I graduate,” she said. 

Davenport’s experience is the result of legislative amendments to the Nurse Practice Act that allowed healthcare employers and community colleges to establish apprenticeship agreements, according to the college. 

The Gadsden Times reported in 2022 that the program incorporates two or three workdays per week alongside classes and labs. 

“This program is new and innovative,” Josh Laney, Alabama Office of Apprenticeships executive director, told the newspaper. “Not only is it the first of its kind in our state, but it’s a relatively new concept nationally. A lot of eyes are on this program.” 

Other state legislatures also have taken similar steps to establish nursing apprenticeships. 

Can Nursing Apprenticeship Programs Alleviate the Worker Shortage? 

Nearly 25,000 apprentices worked across the healthcare industry in 2023 alone, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Joshua Johnson, director of apprenticeship at Jobs for the Future, said at a National Conference of Legislatures event that apprenticeships — and their expansion at the state level into industries like nursing and teaching — can “promote a solution to labor market issues.” 

Last July, South Texas College (STC) became the first in the country to offer a registered nurse apprenticeship. The program allows students pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing to receive paid training “through STC’s partnerships with numerous local hospitals,” according to a news release. 

“Our students, or apprentices, will get placed in a hospital, get assigned a preceptor who will mentor them through the entirety of the program and will be a guaranteed job for our student,” STC Dean of Nursing and Allied Health Jayson Valerio, DNP, RN, stated in the release. “And because the student will be acclimated to that hospital setting, it will minimize the training period. They’ll be ready to hit the ground running.” 

A similar program launched in February in North Carolina between Davidson-Davie Community College and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. 

The Bottom Line

Nursing Apprenticeship Programs have been implemented at colleges and medical facilities throughout the country. Legislative action allowed many of the programs to be established. CNAs and RN residents are among the top 30 apprenticeships in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, while the healthcare industry overall had nearly 25,000 apprentices just in 2023. 

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