“I am an RN now!!” exclaimed Emma. “I work at Mercy Hospital on a med surge!" 

Emma has achieved a major milestone on her caring career journey thanks to program funded by a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Drive for 5 grant. This unique program allowed Emma to “learn while she earned” to complete her nursing degree at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and successfully pass an exam to become a Registered Nurse (RN). She now works on a medical surgical unit at a Twin Cities area hospital. 

The Center for Nursing Equity and Excellence (CNEE), which is a partnership between the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and the Minnesota State HealthForce Center of Excellence, was awarded a $740,000 Drive for 5 grant from DEED to launch the Pre-Licensure Nursing Apprenticeship pilot program that Emma participated in. This pilot allows students to earn while they learn, allowing them to stay focused on their studies and clinical experience. This made a big difference for Emma, a single mother of two, who had to rely on a food shelf while in her first year of nursing school, while she juggled work, school and caring for her children. 

“Nursing school is challenging, the content, the intense schedule and the strict grading policies make nursing students feel overwhelmed” said Emma who graduated in May from Anoka-Ramsey Community College. “Having someone to support you is great and helpful during that time, especially if you have other responsibilities, such as a family.” 

A total of 32 nursing students from the University of Minnesota, Anoka-Ramsey Community College and Minnesota North College selected for the pilot served as paid nurse apprentices at Allina Health and Essentia Health systems hospitals and clinics, with more expected to start in fall 2025. The students receive a full-time wage and employee benefits for working two shifts weekly as nurse apprentices and receiving paid release time to attend school.   

“I was interested in participating in the program because I was very interested in the wealth of experience and knowledge I would be able to gain from the process, as well as the fact that I would still be able to feed my children at the end of the day,” said Emma. “I had quit my job in the previous semester because I was afraid that I could not give my full attention to my studies while still having a job. This stressful choice made it so I had to rely on food shelves and the generosity of family members to keep my household afloat.” 

Emma and fellow nursing students in the Pre-Licensure Nursing Apprenticeship program were assigned apprenticeships in different hospitals or healthcare settings. Emma started her apprenticeship at Cambridge Medical Center in January.  

“Not only did it financially help me stay afloat and be able to dedicate more time to class work,” it also helped prepare her for working as a nurse taking care of multiple patients with complex needs, said Emma. “I feel confident that although I may have a stressful day here or there...I already have the experience of taking care of four patients and I was able to learn that way instead of just caring for one patient in a traditional learning experience.” 

Emma is excited about the many career opportunities ahead of her as an RN, including eventually becoming a charge nurse and potentially working on an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She also plans on earning her BSN and is exploring further educational certifications, including those required to serve as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 

The Drive for 5 funded Pre-Licensure Nursing Apprenticeship program also provides students with a career navigator to offer individualized support to each apprentice before, during and after the apprenticeship. After graduating and obtaining licensure, apprentices are employed at the health system they apprenticed with.   

Cambridge Medical Center is part of the Allina Health system, which is partnering with the University of Minnesota and Anoka-Ramsey Community College to provide paid apprenticeships to Associate of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing students. In northern Minnesota, Essentia Health is partnering with Minnesota North College to provide Associate of Science in Nursing apprenticeships.   

The Drive for 5 grant award funding this Pre-Licensure Nursing Apprenticeship program is part of the nearly $20 million in grants awarded in 2024 as part of DEED’s Drive for 5 Workforce initiative to prepare more Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in the caring professions, education, manufacturing, technology and the trades. 

• Talk with staff at a CareerForce location near you about training programs you may be eligible that are close to you