Home Health Aide Apprenticeship

Why a Home Health Aide Apprenticeship?

The Home Health Aide (HHA) Apprenticeship is designed to prepare individuals to work in a home-like setting such as an assisted living facility or a home health agency.

Many employers are finding that the staffing shortage of nursing aides is impacting their ability to provide care and causing serious financial problems. Supporting in-house training of current and new employees using the HHA Apprenticeship is a great way to develop staff and improve facility outcomes.

BENEFITS REPORTED BY EMPLOYERS ABOUT THEIR OWN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS

  • Creates a steady pipeline of workers

  • Fills vacancies that otherwise couldn’t be filled

  • Improves employee morale and loyalty

  • Improves retention

  • Decreases turnover, reducing high cost of contract labor, overtime, and bonuses

  • Ensures workers are trained to the employer’s standards

  • Improves productivity, shortens the amount of time before new employees are productive

  • Supports new hires as they acclimate to the demands of the job through mentoring

  • Ensures transition programs are well designed and meet established quality criteria

  • Decreases error and accident rates

Our program is recognized nationally and at the state level. Program graduates will receive a credential Certificate of Healthcare Pre-Apprenticeship Completion.

TruMont’s HHA Apprenticeship

The HHA Apprenticeship is an adult program for individuals who meet the following requirements:

  • 18 years of age or older

  • High school graduate or General Educational Development (GED) equivalency

  • Able to read and write English

  • Are employed in a home-like facility/agency that agrees to participate in the apprenticeship program and meet minimal wage requirements

Overview of Training:

There are 144 hours of Related Technical Training (RTI) delivered on-line which is divided into three phases:

  • Phase 1: Basic Clinical Learning = 75 hours

  • Phase 2: Advanced Clinical & Healthcare Culture = 40 hours

  • Phase 3: Leadership Development = 29 hours

Plus, there is a Capstone Project that is designed to reflect and integrate training and practice as it prepares the apprentice to become a Preceptor/Mentor for the next cohort of apprentices.

During the apprenticeship, the HHA is required to work at least 2000 hours; this is called On-the-Job Training (OTJ). This is the regular working schedule of the apprentice for the employer. During Phase 1 of the program (the basic clinical training), the apprentice works one-on-one with an experienced teammate who serves as a preceptor. The preceptor ensures the apprentice can successfully perform skills as per facility/agency policy and procedure. At the end of Phase 1, based on state requirements, the apprenticeship is prepared to pursue state certification (e.g., in Florida the facility may administer a competency exam and clinical skill check-off to validate the HHA apprentice’s competency to become an HHA and issue a certificate). The preceptor’s job is over at the end of Phase 1.

In Phases 2 & 3, a mentor has daily check-ins with the apprentice. The mentor guides, supports, coaches, and enculturates the apprentice into the facility/agency work environment.

The apprentice is supported by a TruMont Faculty Coach who is readily available through weekly office hours where there can be face-to-face interaction, scheduled tutoring sessions, and email that is monitored closely with timely response. The faculty coach reviews project work, provides feedback, and monitors progress of the apprentice. The faculty coach interacts with the employer’s onsite coordinator to ensure progress through the program.

  • Online Learning Modules

  • Clinical Simulation

  • Competency Validation

  • Email Coaching

  • Virtual Office Hours & Tutoring Sessions

  • Cohort Conferences & Discussion Boards

  • Tracking, Trending, and Feedback

  • Capstone Project

  • "The program reinforces everything you want a good employee to do. It is structured and educates in taking good care of residents and ways to communicate with residents. My employees are inspired and motivated by the program."

    RL, Exec Director

  • "This training program provides an in-depth study of the industry – who is the resident, how to interact with a resident and care for the resident. It is flexible and individualized. Employees have nothing but great things to say. They are engaged in the program, taking it all in and are excited to learn more. They are excited about the personal growth that it provides them."