A New Path to Nursing for High School Students in New Orleans

A new pathway program at New Orleans Career Center introduces high school students to nursing careers, designed to address local healthcare workforce shortages while giving students early exposure to the medical field. Students can begin taking structured healthcare courses in high school, earn credentials, and gain hands-on experience that can lead directly into nursing assistant or pre-nursing roles after graduation. The piece highlights how this model blends classroom instruction with career-connected learning opportunities, allowing students to explore nursing in a real-world setting before entering college or the workforce. YouthForce NOLA is a key partner in this ecosystem, helping connect students to training opportunities, internships, and pathways into high-demand healthcare careers. The U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeships Building America grant (managed by YouthForce NOLA) provided financial support for this project.

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