Eight new nurse aides finished the CNA Training Hub’s program on Friday and are ready to join PA’s long-term care workforce
- Turnover of CNAs in Pennsylvania nursing homes is more that 50% according to CareListings and Cornell ILR School.
- Contributing factors to the state’s long-term care crisis include the physically and emotionally demanding job, higher competition for staff, and a lack of accessible training opportunities.
- The mission of the Training and Education Fund’s CNA Training Hub is to build a sustainable pipeline of new CNAs to help ease the crisis and remove barriers to new, family-sustaining jobs in PA’s communities.
PITTSBURGH, PA – On Friday, March 13, eight newly certified nurse aides achieved a milestone that matters deeply to many Pennsylvanians’ future – they graduated, ready to join PA’s caregiver workforce. The ceremony, hosted by Transitions of North Huntingdon in Irwin, PA, and attended by family, friends, and supporters, marked another win for the state’s first CNA Training Hub — a bold initiative building a stronger, more accessible pathway to good, family-sustaining healthcare jobs.
“When we walked into this program, many of us were stepping into an entirely new world,” said Felix Concepcion Rivera, of Pittsburgh. “Learning new medical terminology, hands-on resident care, and a level of responsibility that is anything but small. Caring for another human being at their most vulnerable is one of the most profound things a person can do. And we chose this.”
Addressing a Statewide Workforce Crisis
Pennsylvania’s long-term care sector faces a serious challenge that continues to grow. CNA turnover in the state exceeds 50%, driven by physically and emotionally demanding work conditions, stiff competition for staff between nursing homes and hospitals, and a significant shortage of accessible training opportunities — particularly in rural and outlying communities.
The Hub is confronting this crisis head-on. A project of the Training and Education Fund (TEF), established through an Industry Partnership grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, the Hub is strategically targeting regions where nurse aide training is hardest to find and access. The Hub then recruits and vets potential new CNAs and helps to overcome many of the barriers the potential caregivers face when it comes to pursuing education and job training – things like transportation, childcare, and navigating current job schedules.
“The healthcare industry has struggled to develop real solutions for PA’s staffing crisis for years,” said Lisa Williams, Executive Director of the Training and Education Fund. “Our mission with the CNA Training Hub is to support the industry however we can. Healthcare jobs are family-sustaining jobs, and we want to make sure everyone has access to them.”
Real Results for Pennsylvania Communities
Since launching in 2025, the Hub has guided 25 new caregivers through its program, with some graduates moving directly into positions at long-term care facilities across the region. One member of the current cohort has already accepted a position at Transitions of North Huntingdon.
The Hub doesn’t just move people through training — it aims to produce caregivers of the highest quality, giving Pennsylvania’s aging communities and individuals with disabilities access to skilled, prepared professionals.
What’s Next: Scaling Across Pennsylvania
The Industry Partnership grant supporting the Hub is one of several the TEF and its partners have received to expand programming focused on recruiting and retaining a stable, highly trained healthcare workforce. The momentum is building.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the Hub’s success,” said Williams. “We hope to expand the program and bring these solutions to communities across Pennsylvania.”
“Because of this program, lives will change,” said Concepcion Rivera. “Not just ours, but the lives of every resident we will one day serve.”
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About the Training and Education Fund
The Training and Education Fund is a nonprofit organization aimed at enhancing the quality and care of services in the healthcare industry. We support healthcare workers by helping them achieve their career and personal development goals and aid healthcare employers to foster a stable, highly-trained workforce to meet the needs of all Pennsylvanians.
