LTSS Center researchers surveyed graduates of a LeadingAge California program designed to address critical shortages in the clinical workforce. Here’s what they found.
Researchers at the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston are learning more about students who graduated from The Gateway-In Project© during its first year. The three-year LeadingAge California initiative is designed to address critical shortages in the clinical workforce by actively recruiting, training, and providing employment opportunities for new certified nursing assistants (CNA) and home health aides (HHA) across California.
The LTSS Center, which is evaluating The Gateway-In Project©, sent an online survey to 1,180 students who graduated from the program in May 2023. The survey was designed to determine the program’s success by capturing information about students’ continued employment after the program’s one-year mark and their perceptions of working as CNAs or HHAs. A total of 268 students completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 22.7%.
Findings from the survey are featured in this infographic.
ABOUT THE GATEWAY-IN PROJECT©
The Gateway-In Project© began on July 1, 2022, and will conclude on June 30, 2025. The initiative was made possible by a $25 million grant awarded to LeadingAge California by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information.
The project helps participants join the clinical workforce by:
- Paying tuition and fees for education and training.
- Providing wraparound support, including childcare, transportation, food, and related training costs. This support is designed to reduce the barriers many prospective students may face.
- Helping graduates pass their state certification exams and find jobs.
- Offering retention bonuses to graduates who are employed for one, six, and 12 months.
KEY SURVEY FINDINGS
Key findings from the survey include the following:
- The majority of students completed a CNA training program. Most are currently employed as CNAs, and nearly two-thirds of them work full-time.
- Employed graduates report high levels of satisfaction with their jobs.
- Graduates feel their training program prepared them for their roles, and almost all would recommend the program to family members or friends.
- Most graduates have plans to advance in their careers, with the majority aiming to pursue a nursing degree.
Review our infographic to learn more about the survey findings.