Building South Florida’s nursing workforce starts with CNAs | Opinion
South Florida’s healthcare system is under growing strain. Our population is aging, demand for care is rising, and hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities are all feeling the pressure of workforce shortages.
That is why the recent graduation of the first Certified Nursing Assistants trained through Miami Dade College’s new partnership with Dwyer Workforce Development matters far beyond a single class. These graduates represent an essential part of the solution to a challenge our region cannot afford to ignore.
Certified Nursing Assistants, or CNAs, are foundational to patient care. They provide hands-on support to patients every day, helping with mobility, hygiene, vital signs and comfort, while working closely with nurses and other clinical staff. In hospitals and long-term care facilities throughout South Florida, CNAs help ensure patients receive timely, compassionate care and allow nurses to focus on complex clinical needs.
As healthcare demand increases, particularly among seniors, so does the need for these professionals. When CNAs are in short supply, nurses shoulder heavier workloads, care teams are stretched thin and the entire system feels the impact.
That reality makes CNA training one of the most effective workforce investments we can make.
But CNA programs do something else that is just as important: they expand opportunity. At Miami Dade College, we view workforce education not as a narrow job training exercise, but as a gateway. CNAs can go on to become licensed, practical nurses or registered nurses. Others build long-term careers in healthcare support roles that are meaningful and stable. For countless students, CNA training represents a first step into a profession they may have once believed was out of reach.
This is where our partnership with Dwyer Workforce Development (DWD) has been so powerful. DWD complements Miami Dade College’s CNA training with mentorship and case management, and comprehensive, wraparound support, helping students navigate barriers such as transportation, childcare and financial instability. Those obstacles are common in South Florida and are often the difference between someone enrolling in a program and actually finishing it.
Education works best when it reflects real life. When we collaborate with partners who understand students’ lived experiences, we see stronger outcomes, not only for graduates, but for employers and patients as well.
As the largest community college in the nation, Miami Dade College serves one of the most diverse student populations in higher education. Our responsibility is to reflect our community in the programs we offer and to align those programs with the region’s most urgent needs. Healthcare is at the top of that list.
This mission is deeply personal for me. I am an alumna of Miami Dade College, and my career in education has been shaped by one guiding principle: Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Throughout my work in higher education and workforce development, I have focused on expanding access for students who have historically been left out, students who are ready to work, ready to learn and ready to serve their communities.
Our partnership with DWD embodies that philosophy. Together, we are providing CNA training and support services that are student-centered and directly tied to employment. We share the understanding that economic mobility does not always begin with a four-year degree — it can start with a practical credential that leads to immediate opportunity and long-term growth.
South Florida’s healthcare future depends on building a strong, reliable talent pipeline through partnerships between colleges, workforce organizations and healthcare providers. And it depends on recognizing that the people who provide care every day deserve pathways to stable careers and continued advancement.
The CNA graduates we celebrate today are proof of what’s possible when access, training and support come together. They are not only filling critical roles, they are strengthening our healthcare system, our workforce and our community.
At Miami Dade College, we are proud to support those who care for others. Because when we invest in CNAs, we invest in the health and future of South Florida.
Madeline Pumariega is president of Miami Dade College.