Photo: Bryan Goodchild
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has awarded $240,000 in grants to launch nursing apprenticeships across Massachusetts. The program will be implemented by the Massachusetts Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability in partnership with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Division of Apprentice Standards.
The Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability was established in 2021 by the Massachusetts Healthcare Collaborative Nursing Task Force with ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School, EOHHS, and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, to address the state’s nursing shortage.
The grants support partnerships between public colleges and health care organizations in Massachusetts to expand equitable access to nursing careers and strengthen the commonwealth’s health care workforce.
“Nursing apprenticeships open the door to the profession for individuals who might otherwise never have the opportunity to become nurses—breaking down systemic barriers and transforming lives through equitable access to education and career advancement,” said Jay Prosser, executive director of the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability.
The funding supports the development of licensed practical nurse and registered nurse apprenticeship programs that are expected to launch in early 2027. Grant recipients include:
- Chelsea Jewish Lifecare – Bunker Hill Community College
- Duffy Health Center – Cape Cod Community College
- Mass General Brigham – Greenfield Community College
- Mass General Brigham Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital – Roxbury Community College
“These grants are not just about planning programs,” Prosser said. “They are about building a new, more inclusive pathway into nursing to strengthen our health care system while creating real opportunity for students and communities.”
Each partnership will receive $60,000 to support partner organizations in completing critical design work, including curriculum alignment, mentorship structures, competency frameworks and financial sustainability plans.
Nursing apprenticeships combine paid, on-the-job training with formal nursing education, allowing students to earn wages while completing their degrees and clinical requirements. The funded partnerships bring together health care employers and public colleges, working collaboratively with the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability and the Massachusetts Division of Apprenticeship Standards to design registered nursing apprenticeship programs. The Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability serves as the intermediary, fiscal agent and apprenticeship sponsor, providing technical assistance and ensuring alignment with state and federal apprenticeship standards.
“Strengthening the nursing workforce in Massachusetts is an essential part of our work to ensure residents can access health care in every community,” said Kiame Mahaniah, MD, MBA, secretary of Health and Human Services. “These apprenticeship programs will build a bridge between the incredible talent, outstanding academic partners and exceptional health care providers in our state, creating opportunities for professional growth, importantly for those who may otherwise have faced systemic or financial barriers to furthering their nursing education.”
“Registered apprenticeship is a proven workforce strategy, and the Healey-Driscoll administration has been intentional in its efforts to expand this model to industries like health care,” said Lauren Jones, secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. “By teaming up with the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability, nursing apprenticeships will expand access to the nursing profession, help reduce barriers to employment and build a talent pipeline for the industry in regions across Massachusetts. We look forward to working with the awardees as they develop their programs.”
Nursing apprenticeships are uniquely structured to complement traditional nursing education. Apprentices remain enrolled in accredited nursing programs and complete all required academic and clinical components. Paid apprenticeship hours provide additional, mentored work experience that prepares students to transition smoothly into professional nursing roles after licensure.
Massachusetts continues to face significant nursing workforce challenges, including persistent vacancies across acute, post‑acute and community‑based settings. At the same time, qualified nursing school applicants are frequently turned away due to limited program capacity, clinical placement constraints and faculty shortages.
“We are excited about this opportunity to make a direct, positive impact on the nursing workforce of the future. We fully expect to develop a robust nursing apprenticeship program in Massachusetts with hundreds of new opportunities for those wanting to enter into the nursing workforce,” Prosser said.
