According to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, demand for certified nursing assistants (CNA) is growing faster than for workers in nearly every other job—with an expected increase by 9% through 2028.
UT Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools and Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation have united to create a state-accredited CNA program to support current and future demand for frontline health care workers in southern middle Tennessee.
The CNA Academy is being administered by the UTC Center for Professional Education and housed at The Howard School in Chattanooga. Two programs have been developed, one for high school students and another for local residents seeking to become certified health care professionals.
Programming created for students at The Howard School kicked off in January 2021. The 15-week course is open to Howard High seniors currently enrolled in the medical therapeutics program at the Erlanger Institute of Healthcare and Innovation.
Community-based cohorts of five-week, open-enrollment programs have been scheduled through spring 2021. The community-based program is geared toward recent high school graduates, career changers, people preparing for licensed practical nurse or registered nurse careers, and patient care technicians.
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