Madison College, MMSD Partner to Offer Healthcare Career Pathway for High School Students

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) and Madison College have teamed up to provide high school students with a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, offering a direct route to healthcare careers. The partnership, which has been in place for years, allows students to earn dual credit for both high school and college courses, providing them with valuable skills and certifications for a career in healthcare.

By participating in the program, students can earn college credits at no cost, saving families up to $1,000 in tuition fees. MMSD further supports students by offering youth apprenticeships in local healthcare facilities, allowing students to apply their CNA certification in real-world settings.

The program equips students with essential caregiving skills such as patient repositioning, bathing, feeding, taking vital signs and maintaining hygiene. Students practice these skills in state-of-the-art lab spaces at each of MMSD’s four comprehensive high schools, which were made possible through the 2020 referendum. The program combines classroom learning with hands-on labs, ensuring students are well-prepared for the healthcare workforce.

For many students, the CNA program serves as a stepping stone to careers in nursing, sports medicine, pediatrics, or trauma surgery and provides a solid foundation for those interested in continuing their education in healthcare. The program also helps address the growing demand for qualified healthcare workers, particularly CNAs, who are vital in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

“I wanted to have a chance to look into it before I started college to make sure I knew that I liked it before I committed to it as a major,” said Nylah Kleiss, a senior at Vel Phillips Memorial High School. 

MMSD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming has provided hands-on learning opportunities for more than 20 years. CTE offers a wide range of courses, including traditional subjects like automotive, construction and culinary arts, as well as emerging fields like software development, digital media, early childhood education and healthcare.