Yeah,

Yeah,

John Morning News. This is Dave Ross with Colin O'Brien and Chris Sullivan. One thing the pandemic has demonstrated is that we need more health care workers,

John Morning News. This is Dave Ross with Colin O'Brien and Chris Sullivan. One thing the pandemic has demonstrated is that we need more health care workers,

and so there's a new organization designed to train them. It's called Next Step.

and so there's a new organization designed to train them. It's called Next Step.

It was started by Chris Hedrick, and the thing about it is, if you want a job, you can get the training without paying any tuition, and they guarantee you a job at the conclusion of the course. So, Chris, tell us your story. Well, Dave, there's a caregiver crisis in this country that even before the pandemic was driven by the demographic changes of an aging population.

It was started by Chris Hedrick, and the thing about it is, if you want a job, you can get the training without paying any tuition, and they guarantee you a job at the conclusion of the course. So, Chris, tell us your story. Well, Dave, there's a caregiver crisis in this country that even before the pandemic was driven by the demographic changes of an aging population.

There aren't nearly enough people to take care of a

There aren't nearly enough people to take care of a

of people that are turning 65 10,000 people every day. And so we tried to

of people that are turning 65 10,000 people every day. And so we tried to

create a new organization with a new approach to fill that need.

create a new organization with a new approach to fill that need.

So you provide training tuition free to people who want to become certified nursing assistants.

So you provide training tuition free to people who want to become certified nursing assistants.

How do you pull off a tuition free course without there being a catch of some kind? Well, they're The

How do you pull off a tuition free course without there being a catch of some kind? Well, they're The

gap between supply and demand for certified nursing assistants is so large that the employers who are primarily long term care facilities,

gap between supply and demand for certified nursing assistants is so large that the employers who are primarily long term care facilities,

are willing to provide us with a one time placement fee for every highly qualified person that we can bring them. So we're recruiting, training, certifying and guaranteeing a job to anybody that wants to become a certified nursing assistant.

are willing to provide us with a one time placement fee for every highly qualified person that we can bring them. So we're recruiting, training, certifying and guaranteeing a job to anybody that wants to become a certified nursing assistant.

We've done it in Colorado became the largest provider of certified nursing assistants quickly in that state, and we

We've done it in Colorado became the largest provider of certified nursing assistants quickly in that state, and we

aim to do the same thing in Washington state. So you're motivated to provide effective training because you get paid as long as they're good.

aim to do the same thing in Washington state. So you're motivated to provide effective training because you get paid as long as they're good.

Yeah, and and we guarantee that they will stick around. There was an article in The New York Times this morning that showed that for these job roles in nursing homes nationwide, there's an over 100% turnover, and we try to find people that are motivated to become caregivers that have the empathetic

Yeah, and and we guarantee that they will stick around. There was an article in The New York Times this morning that showed that for these job roles in nursing homes nationwide, there's an over 100% turnover, and we try to find people that are motivated to become caregivers that have the empathetic

point of view that's required to be good and to stick around in that kind of job, give them the very best training that we can. That's a combination of online and in person, and then place them with employers where there's a really good fit but 100% turnover. That sounds scary. So it sounds like you have to recruit the right kind of people,

point of view that's required to be good and to stick around in that kind of job, give them the very best training that we can. That's a combination of online and in person, and then place them with employers where there's a really good fit but 100% turnover. That sounds scary. So it sounds like you have to recruit the right kind of people,

its first finding people that have the psychological attributes that are consistent with being happy in caregiving. It's second, giving them the sort of training that

its first finding people that have the psychological attributes that are consistent with being happy in caregiving. It's second, giving them the sort of training that

opens up the reality of this sort of caregiving and gives them the very best sort of skills that they need. And third is really making a very good placement. So in Colorado, for example, we started working with one employer facility and now have over 70 places where we're placing our graduates,

opens up the reality of this sort of caregiving and gives them the very best sort of skills that they need. And third is really making a very good placement. So in Colorado, for example, we started working with one employer facility and now have over 70 places where we're placing our graduates,

and we're able to do it in a way that ensures a very short commute. Uh, that enables them to have the kind of work that they want to do and the shifts that they want. So they have some control, but absolutely be upfront with us. What are the challenges of working in an extended care facility where everybody is pretty sick in some way?

and we're able to do it in a way that ensures a very short commute. Uh, that enables them to have the kind of work that they want to do and the shifts that they want. So they have some control, but absolutely be upfront with us. What are the challenges of working in an extended care facility where everybody is pretty sick in some way?

There are a lot of challenges, and you have to have the right sort of point of view and the right sort of training to be successful, and you want to stick around.

There are a lot of challenges, and you have to have the right sort of point of view and the right sort of training to be successful, and you want to stick around.

Most of the people that we worked with in Colorado we're in dead end jobs or were unemployed, and we hope to enable people in Washington State who are working in minimum wage jobs or who are currently unemployed to start a healthcare career. And we call it next step because we want to be able to provide a career ladder, starting with certified nursing assistant and moving beyond that so that everybody can have family wedge shops. So if you start at the Sienna level and what is the next step,

Most of the people that we worked with in Colorado we're in dead end jobs or were unemployed, and we hope to enable people in Washington State who are working in minimum wage jobs or who are currently unemployed to start a healthcare career. And we call it next step because we want to be able to provide a career ladder, starting with certified nursing assistant and moving beyond that so that everybody can have family wedge shops. So if you start at the Sienna level and what is the next step,

the next step often is a licensed practical nurse, which is another

the next step often is a licensed practical nurse, which is another

level up in terms of complexity and supervision. Still doesn't require a college degree but requires an additional level of training. And that's something that we hope to bring to market next year. So how many people have been through the program so far?

level up in terms of complexity and supervision. Still doesn't require a college degree but requires an additional level of training. And that's something that we hope to bring to market next year. So how many people have been through the program so far?

So in Colorado were trained a couple 100 people and place them in jobs and were rapidly expanding their We hope to place 100 people a month into jobs in the Washington state market within the next few months, and you're regulated by the state. Correct? Yes, The State Department of Health has approved our curriculum.

So in Colorado were trained a couple 100 people and place them in jobs and were rapidly expanding their We hope to place 100 people a month into jobs in the Washington state market within the next few months, and you're regulated by the state. Correct? Yes, The State Department of Health has approved our curriculum.

We developed it in collaboration with leading age, which is the industry association for the not for profit long term care industry. I was wondering when this was going to was going to hit the fan because this is about my generation. The baby boomers are getting to retirement age. A few years will be nursing home age,

We developed it in collaboration with leading age, which is the industry association for the not for profit long term care industry. I was wondering when this was going to was going to hit the fan because this is about my generation. The baby boomers are getting to retirement age. A few years will be nursing home age,

and we didn't have as many kids as our parents did to fill some of these jobs. So do you think you can fill it just with people who were born here? Or is there gonna be some change in the immigration rules?

and we didn't have as many kids as our parents did to fill some of these jobs. So do you think you can fill it just with people who were born here? Or is there gonna be some change in the immigration rules?

Well, we're aiming to try to open up a new set of people who want these sorts of jobs that are here right now, up to this point has been really hard to get a C n a certificate for a couple of reasons. One is it costs a significant amount of money. Second, is the training up to this point. Until we got into the market was almost 100% instructor led, which meant you have to go to a classroom. You have to show up at a specific time, you know, several weeks in a row which, if you're working hard on a minimum wage job and if you don't have good child care, is a very hard thing to do. So about 80% of our training is done online, but the crucial 20%

Well, we're aiming to try to open up a new set of people who want these sorts of jobs that are here right now, up to this point has been really hard to get a C n a certificate for a couple of reasons. One is it costs a significant amount of money. Second, is the training up to this point. Until we got into the market was almost 100% instructor led, which meant you have to go to a classroom. You have to show up at a specific time, you know, several weeks in a row which, if you're working hard on a minimum wage job and if you don't have good child care, is a very hard thing to do. So about 80% of our training is done online, but the crucial 20%

that needs to be done in person we do in person. We have a facility in Tukwila, and we're going to be opening up one up and not like Terrace, and we're able to provide the sort of training that really qualifies people for these jobs,

that needs to be done in person we do in person. We have a facility in Tukwila, and we're going to be opening up one up and not like Terrace, and we're able to provide the sort of training that really qualifies people for these jobs,

where you don't have to graduate with student debt and that you're guaranteed a job tuition free

where you don't have to graduate with student debt and that you're guaranteed a job tuition free

were supported by our employer partners. And we're able to do that because there's such a demand for people with these skills. And if we can quickly over a course of 8 to 12 weeks, give people the skills that they need to start a healthcare career, that will do it and they won't know anything at the end. All right? Chris Hedrick is the CEO of Next Step

were supported by our employer partners. And we're able to do that because there's such a demand for people with these skills. And if we can quickly over a course of 8 to 12 weeks, give people the skills that they need to start a healthcare career, that will do it and they won't know anything at the end. All right? Chris Hedrick is the CEO of Next Step

and what's your website?

and what's your website?

Next step dot com. That's pretty pretty easy to remember, Chris. Thanks very much. Good luck. My pleasure, Dave. Thanks for having me on

Next step dot com. That's pretty pretty easy to remember, Chris. Thanks very much. Good luck. My pleasure, Dave. Thanks for having me on