Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) has opened the scholarship application window for new students enrolling in the college’s Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) program at any of DMACC’s six campuses and Southridge Center. The new scholarship program, estimated at a value of $700 per person, is open to the first 100 students who apply and qualify and will cover the cost of tuition, fees and books for the 75-hour, three-credit certification. “There is a shortage of direct care workers in hospitals, senior centers and numerous other institutions,” says Dean of DMACC’s Health and Public Services Department, Dr. Art Brown. “CNA graduates are urgently needed to fill these job vacancies. As a result, we’re motivated to help solve this problem. Our goal is to refill and energize the pipeline of direct care workers,” adds Brown. Dr. Natali Thilges, who is Director of DMACC’s nursing program, says CNA workers can expect to start with wages between $16 and $19 an hour, with occasionally higher wages and sign-on bonuses. This also offers a solid foundation and direct pathway to the school’s nursing program. For those needing financial assistance, the new scholarship helps address that need, but there are no income guidelines for qualification. Students will need to buy some supplies, including nursing scrubs, and they must also meet all health and vaccine requirements. Applications for classes starting Jan. 10, 2022 are now being accepted with additional sections being offered throughout the semester. These are offered here in Carroll and in the Boone, Newton, Ankeny, Urban West Des Moines and Southridge Center campuses. For more information log on to www.dmacc.edu or email CNA@dmacc.edu.