Nurse Aide (CNA) - Certificate Program

CNA
The Nurse Aide Technical Certificate prepares students through classroom instruction, practice, and clinical experiences to care for patients in healthcare settings such as hospitals, nursing care facilities, community care facilities for the elderly, and home health services. The program includes courses in health care fundamentals, diet and nutrition, medical terminology, and nurse aide training.

Sample of reported job titles:

  • Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
  • Patient Care Assistant
  • Nursing Assistant
  • Hospital Aide
  • Home Health Aide

Wages & Employment Trends:

  • Median Wages (2024): $39,430
  • Employment (2024) 1.4 million
  • Projected Growth (2024-2034): 2% (slower than average)
  • Projected Job Openings (2024-2034): 204,100

Source: https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/31-1131.00

Program Information for Students and Parents

  • Will this pathway require an additional year of college after high school graduation?  No
  • Will this pathway exceed their 30 hours of Georgia Student Finance Commission (Dual Enrollment) funding? No
  • DE Hours Required for the Pathway: 13
  • Age Requirements for the Pathway: 16 by the time the student starts clinicals
  • Class Size: 14 students 
  • How many students will be admitted per high school in Houston County? 2-3
  • Number of Clinical Hours Earned: 24
  • Are prerequisites required? No

 

Please Note:

CNA is an existing Dual Enrollment program, offered in partnership with Central Georgia Technical College, that is currently housed at the Houston College and Career Academy (HCCA). With the opening of the Houston STEM and Career Academy in the fall of 2027, the program will relocate to the new Health Sciences wing. Because the program's structure, course sequence, and requirements are not changing, students and families should continue to follow the established CNA pathway requirements. Only the program's location is changing.

Return to STEM Pathways