Portland, OR, June 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NextStep, an innovative digital healthcare training and job placement company, today announced approval by the Oregon State Board of Nursing for its nursing assistant training-to-placement program. By blending app-based and in-person learning, this program makes it easy for workers in Oregon who have been displaced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to retrain for careers in health care.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 12,300 CNAs in Oregon, and the need for qualified CNAs was growing rapidly even before COVID-19. The pandemic has now put an additional strain on health care industry staffing and the demand for CNAs will become even greater. NextStep’s unique program addresses critical staffing shortages by creating an easy, flexible path to certification that is tuition free for students. NextStep’s graduates are guaranteed a job offer with one of its respected employer partners upon certification.
“After more than a year of economic hardship brought on by the pandemic, Oregonians need more access to training opportunities that lead to good jobs,” said State Treasurer Tobias Read. “NextStep helps address this need by offering online training, allowing Certified Nursing Assistant graduates to contribute to our frontline healthcare workforce, particularly in long-term care facilities that are eager to hire qualified personnel.”
Workers across many industries, particularly hospitality, have been displaced due to pandemic closures and restrictions. These workers have transferable skills well suited for health care. NextStep recruits people who are unemployed or working low-wage jobs, prepares them for rewarding health care careers and then places them with employers in dire need of CNAs. The Oregon State Board of Nursing has approved NextStep’s virtual skills and clinical training, which features remote video review and feedback by accredited nurse instructors employed by NextStep. The NextStep course in Oregon can be completed in as little as six weeks.
“Demand for skilled nursing assistants will grow, even after the pandemic subsides,” said NextStep CEO Chris Hedrick. “This innovative approach to developing health care workers benefits Oregonians seeking high-quality new careers. In Colorado and Washington, we have shown the value our blended-learning nursing assistant training and job placement program delivers. We are excited to bring this program to Oregon.”
Workers receive training that prepares them to qualify for industry-recognized, state certification and also benefit from job placement services with respected employer partners. After graduating from the NextStep nursing assistant program, students are placed in jobs at long-term care, skilled nursing and senior living facilities across the state. NextStep is currently enrolling students at www.nextstep.com
“Marquis is excited to be partnering with NextStep in Oregon, both to address the critical need for nursing assistants in our communities and to support an innovative approach to solving this country’s caregiver crisis,” said Phil Fogg, Jr, President and CEO of Marquis Companies. “Our mission is to promote the vitality within each of our clients and staff members, and we are looking forward to empowering and supporting NextStep graduates on their rewarding journey as health care professionals.”
Since launching in Colorado more than a year ago, NextStep has quickly become the leading CNA training and job placement program in that state. Nearly 63% of NextStep’s learners in Colorado are BIPOC, and before starting their NextStep training, 43% of learners were unemployed. Developed with the world’s leading caregiving experts, NextStep’s blended-learning program combines digital content delivered online or via mobile app with in-person practice labs and on-the-job clinical experiences.
About NextStep:
NextStep is an innovative health care education and job placement company helping solve the accelerating caregiver crisis in the United States. We train and place workers displaced by automation and artificial intelligence with respected long-term care providers, benefiting both. NextStep’s blended-learning nursing assistant program gives learners the opportunity to start a new, rewarding career and provides employers a solution to their critical workforce needs.
