Skills Training and Job Placement Company Raises $3.6m to Help Displaced Workers Transition to Health Care Roles
NextStep is addressing COVID-19 and the unemployment crisis by retraining thousands of low-wage workers as they become Certified Nursing Assistants
NextStep, a mobile-based training and job placement company aiming to radically expand the supply of qualified Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to address the nation’s caregiver shortage crisis, today announced a $3.6 million investment round from health and education technology-focused investors including Springrock Ventures, JAZZ Venture Partners, Learn Capital’s LearnStart fund, and the managing directors of Pioneer Square Labs.
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“Our health care system was already facing profound skills gaps well before the outbreak of COVID-19, and now those shortfalls are in sharp relief as our nation’s health care workers fight this global pandemic,” said Chris Hedrick, CEO of NextStep. “By tapping the potential and strengths of displaced talent, we can bolster the health care workforce and offer millions of workers a pathway to sustainable and fulfilling careers—at a time when our country needs it most.”
With historic surges in unemployment stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, displaced workers in retail, service and hospitality and other industries are facing acute economic hardship as they file for unemployment and look for work. Demand for health care jobs continues to grow even as the broader economy enters recession, as the nation’s health care system faces unprecedented strain.
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NextStep’s unique program, free to students and supported by employers, is helping to retrain workers in distressed industries as Certified Nursing Assistants, the most in-demand role in health care. Through courses delivered on mobile devices in 10-15 minute modules that can be consumed during a commute or after hours, displaced workers with experience in service and hospitality roles can retrain for jobs in the health care industry with higher earning and promotion potential.
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