On Wednesday, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) announced details about its efforts to serve the state’s healthcare needs in the form of expanded credentials and course offerings to students across the state. At a press conference, state and system officials announced an expansion of health science offerings in 2025, including a new certified Nursing Support Technician option.
“The Alabama Community College System constantly fulfills the needs of our business and industry partners and producing highly skilled individuals for the healthcare field is imperative. The opportunities we’re featuring today demonstrate the desire we have must make higher education accessible and attainable for all,” said ACCS Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker.
According to ACCS, Nursing Support Technicians are needed in every hospital, healthcare facility, home health and in numerous patient care organizations throughout the state. These workers, making up 12,000-14,000 nursing support staff in Alabama, gain advanced skills in tasks like drawing blood, assisting with respiratory care and other fundamental nursing functions. The Alabama Board of Nursing announced the new nursing credential last week, aiming to fill more than 2,000 current vacancies in the state.
“For the past 10 years, the Alabama Board of Nursing has been committed to leading the way for a nation facing an ongoing nursing shortage,” said Peggy Benson, Executive Officer for the Alabama Board of Nursing. “The NST-C gives us an opportunity to lead and create a dynamic shift in the nursing industry, and we are proud to explore creative, innovative and sound approaches to address the industry’s toughest challenges.”
The NST-C program is designed for individuals wishing to assist nurses as a multi-disciplinary technical worker, trained to provide basic nursing assistant care. The ACCS Innovation Center’s Skills for Success team will help facilitate, develop and train individuals interested in the newest program with assistance from Alabama’s community colleges.
Former Alabama Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed, the newly-appointed Senior Advisor for Workforce Transformation, told attendees on Wednesday he has observed how the ACCS ‘Makes Life Better‘ for Alabamians in all walks of life, including at his home-based Bevill State Community College.
“Alabama’s workforce is vital to the success of our economic future. Ensuring that Alabamians across the state continue to receive quality training and educational opportunities to bolster their skillsets is a huge factor for workforce development, and I could not be more grateful for partners like the Alabama Community College System and their efforts in this most important work,” Reed said. “I want to thank Chancellor Baker and his team for their continued partnership and leadership and look forward to seeing the positive impact initiatives like this will have on Alabama’s workforce and economic future.”
The ACCS’s Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) grant program is another that’s building momentum for 2025. There are currently 22 LPN programs, either standalone or LPN to RN mobility, or allied health/military medic to LPN bridge programs, offered at ACCS institutions. Fourteen 14 ACCS colleges featured registered LPN nursing apprenticeship with 62 employers across seven workforce regions, and overall, the ACCS has experienced a 150 percent increase in dual enrollment since 2015.
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Additionally, with recent approval from the Alabama Board of Nursing, the ACCS is introducing LPN dual enrollment programs this year, providing high school students with the opportunity to earn nursing credentials early, creating a direct pathway into the profession.
According to ACCS, the system has impressive statistics to back up their value add to the state’s healthcare workforce pipeline.
The ACCS offers more than 80 Health Science programs or courses among 22 of its 24 colleges, including fields like dental hygiene, health information technology, medical billing and coding, nursing and physical therapy assistant. Registered nursing, medical/clinical assistant and emergency medical technology (paramedic) feature the highest enrollments among healthcare fields across the system.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, more than 13,000 students were enrolled in healthcare programs at Alabama’s community colleges with 12 percent of that made up by dual enrollment students. From Fall 2022 to Summer 2024, more than 23,000 students enrolled in a healthcare program at an Alabama community college. Of those, nearly 2,300 students – about 10 percent – successfully transferred to four-year universities to further their education.
Skills for Success training has also developed industry-recognized curriculum to aid the healthcare industry in areas like Ambulance Operator, Community Health Worker, Customer Service and Mental Health Worker.
For more information about enrollment and impact, visit the ACCS Health Sciences website.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
