Start Here for a New Health Care Career
Nurse aide training at the Lunder CareForce Institute will position you for a caregiving job with a local employer by providing you with the training you need to become a nurse aide, and upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to take the state nurse aide exam. This hands-on training focuses on building the skills, confidence, and compassion you’ll need to thrive in real-world health care settings. No prior health care experience is required.
You will provide hands-on care to people in a variety of settings to support their quality of life. This includes helping them maintain dignity and comfort while you support their basic daily routines with bathing, dressing, meal prep, and room tidying help. You’ll check vital signs — things like temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate — document what you observe, and report any changes in health.
Certified nurse aides often go on to nursing careers as RNs and LPNs.
Earning Potential
According to nurse.org, certified nurse aides in Massachusetts earn an average of $19.77 per hour. Experienced CNAs can earn up to $23 per hour.
What You Get and How We Are Different
- Training from experienced teachers and a state-approved curriculum: You’ll learn in the classroom, get practice with simulations, and gain hands-on experience at the bedside. Lessons will include things like nutrition, movement and exercise, how to take vital signs, and oral health.
- Supplies: Laptop computers, text books, and uniforms are provided for use during program periods. These are distributed on the first day of classes.
- Help to thrive, no matter what: We understand that real-life challenges can make it hard for you to train for the career you want. We offer one-on-one support to help you overcome difficulties that might come up, like transportation, language skills, or technology.
- Preparation for a state exam: We will prepare you for the state nurse aide examination. Successful completion of the exam will result in certification as a nurse aide and placement on the Massachusetts Health and Human Services Licensed Professional Registry as a certified nurse aide (CNA).
- Continued help after you start working: We stay with you after you pass the exam to coach you to succeed on the job. Lunder CareForce Institute mentors will support you throughout your employment to help you grow.
- Support from a trusted community institution: The Lunder CareForce Institute is part of Hebrew SeniorLife, a national leader in senior living and health care, and a Boston-based nonprofit organization for over 120 years.
How It Works
Many students study for free! There are two paths to get started. You can interview with one of our employer partners, and if successful, your tuition will be paid in full and you will begin working for that employer as soon as you are eligible. (To view current employer partners, complete the form below.) Or, you can enroll directly and pay your own tuition and fees (currently $1,700), which will prepare you to take your new skills to a job you find on your own. Grant-funded opportunities may also be available. Students are not paid during class hours. If you need to work while participating in the program, you will need to work outside of class to commit to the program schedule. We offer both full-time and part-time schedules.
The class locations vary by session start date. Here are the current options.
In-Person
- Roslindale, MA: Hebrew SeniorLife, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA, 02131. Free parking is available. Students may also take the MBTA Orange line to Forest Hills, and then take a private Hebrew SeniorLife shuttle directly to the Roslindale campus. The MBTA bus lines with stops near this location include the #30, #34, #34E, #35, and #51.
- Beverly, MA: CareOne at Essex Park, 265 Essex St, Beverly, MA 01915. Free parking is available. Students may also take the MBTA Bus 451 to the Cabot St @ Essex St stop.
Hybrid Learning
- Some sessions will offer a mix of virtual/remote classes on weeknights and in-person learning on Saturdays at one of the locations listed. We supply students with laptops for use during the program.
See the Upcoming Dates, Locations, and Schedules section below for information by start date.
The class times and formats vary by session start date. Here are the current options.
- Full-time, in-person: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Part-time days, in-person: Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursdays, 8:30 a.m.to 2:30 p.m.
- Part-time nights and weekends, hybrid:
- Saturday, in-person: 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday and Thursday, virtual/remote: 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
See the Upcoming Dates, Locations, and Schedules section below for information by start date.
Start Date: June 15, 2026
Format: Part-time days, in-person
Orientation (Required): Monday, June 15, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Program Dates: Tuesday, June 16, 2026, through Thursday, August 13, 2026
When: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Hebrew SeniorLife, 1200 Centre Street, Roslindale, MA, 02131
Start Date: June 13, 2026
Format: Part-time nights and weekends, hybrid
Orientation (Required): Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Program Dates: Saturday, June 13, 2026, through Saturday, August 15, 2026
No class on Saturday, July 4
When: Saturdays, in-person: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, virtual/remote: 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Hybrid (In Person & Remote)
Saturdays, Boston
Hebrew SeniorLife, 1200 Centre Street, Roslindale, MA, 02131
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Virtual/Remote. We supply students with laptops for use during the program.
Another session is expected September 2026.
Don’t see a session that fits? Go ahead and apply to keep in touch and stay updated on new locations, dates, formats, and schedules!
