[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced a $2.4 million investment to continue Minnesota’s free nursing assistant training program. The Next Generation Nursing Assistant initiative provides Minnesotans with free training, books, uniforms, and covers the cost of the certification exam. The initiative has so far recruited and trained 1,370 Minnesotans, strengthening the state’s health care workforce pipeline.

“By bolstering our health care workforce and providing pathways to life-long careers, this initiative continues to benefit Minnesotans in the short- and long-term. I’m proud to invest in a program that strengthens our health care workforce, eliminates barriers to entry into high-demand careers, and supports the health of our state,” said Governor Walz. “The success of this program is a testament to Minnesota’s ability to collaboratively address complex problems.”

According to employment data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, nursing assistants are the sixth highest demand job in the state. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the need for qualified nursing assistants. This initiative invests in the future health of our state by providing trained workers who will fill vacant positions at hospitals, long-term care facilities, and veterans’ homes throughout Minnesota.

“We are continuing to build our long-term care workforce, so that Minnesota families can continue to rely on talented, highly qualified nursing assistants to provide critical care for their loved ones. Thank you to the Minnesotans who are taking advantage of this initiative and providing quality care for their communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “I am grateful for the leadership of Commissioner Olson and the collaboration among our partners in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and higher education to creatively address this critical need.”

In December 2021 Governor Tim Walz set a goal for the state to recruit and train 1,000 new nursing assistants. The State of Minnesota surpassed this goal in less than three months. The initial investment was made with Federal American Recovery Plan funds. The $2.4 million investment announced today comes from the state’s COVID-19 Management Appropriation fund .

Achieving that goal required a public-private partnership of state agencies, higher education institutions, and long-term care providers. This work is led by Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) Commissioner Dennis Olson.

“I am incredibly proud of this initiative’s success, and look forward to continuing the work,” OHE Commissioner Dennis Olson said. “This work not only breaks down financial barriers to postsecondary education, connecting more Minnesotans with the skills they need to start a new career, it bolsters our workforce pipeline and supports the state’s healthcare industry. This initiative is truly a new model for how we can invest in workers and the economy while filling vacancies in high-need career areas.”

“The Next Generation Nursing Assistant program is symbolic of how responsive our colleges and universities are when meeting critical workforce needs in Minnesota,” said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State. “I am very grateful for the hard work of our faculty, our staff, and our students. We deeply appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Olson and our partnership with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education that made the success of this program possible.”

The new funding will allow the Next Generation Nursing Assistant initiative to run until February 2023.

What partner organizations and the health care industry are saying about this investment:

“With unprecedented numbers of vacant nursing assistant positions throughout the long-term care sector, we are pleased to hear there will be additional funding for no barrier, nursing assistant training via this initiative,” Patti Cullen, president and CEO, Care Providers of Minnesota said. “We need to do all we can to prepare the next generation of professional caregivers to meet the increasing demands of Minnesota’s aging population. We look forward to working with the Administration to ensure that newly certified nursing assistants find meaningful employment in Minnesota’s nursing facilities and assisted living facilities.”

“Over 4,000 USW represented health care workers in Minnesota are invigorated by Governor Walz’s investment in improving care in our state by bolstering the ranks of qualified nursing assistants,” said United Steelworkers District 11 Director Emil Ramirez. “Providing education and opportunities for the next generation of union health care workers will have important, long-term benefits for all of us.”

“When there aren’t enough caregivers in the aging services field, seniors lose access to the care they need in the communities they call home,” said Kari Thurlow, president and CEO at LeadingAge Minnesota. “Minnesota is now home to one million seniors, and 70% of them will need long-term care in their lifetime. It’s imperative that we build a pipeline of skilled, compassionate caregivers for Minnesota’s older adults who need care today and for those who will need care in the future. We applaud the Administration for recognizing the importance of barrier-free training to build a quality long-term care workforce.”

"SEIU members provide essential services every day to keep Minnesotans safe and healthy,” said Brenda Hilbrich, Executive Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa. “Even before COVID, this work was challenging and too often under appreciated. It has become even harder with the ongoing staffing shortages. Frontline healthcare workers with our Union appreciate Governor Walz taking executive action to step in and take action to help bring nursing assistants into our field."

Available courses can be found on the OHE website. Those interested in enrolling in the free training are encouraged to check back often as new courses will continue to be added as they are made available. Courses will be offered throughout the state, in-person and hybrid, on Minnesota State campuses and at many private training providers.