Nashville State Community College partners with Goodwill Middle Tennessee for healthcare training programs

Nashville State Community College has partnered with Goodwill Middle Tennessee to provide healthcare training programs for Goodwill’s clients who have sought assistance through the organization’s Career Navigator services. The healthcare training programs are Patient Care Technician and Medical Assistant, each of which provides training for individuals with no prior healthcare education and sets them on the path toward a career.

According to an article on Nashville State Community College’s website, David Meadows, who serves as Goodwill Middle Tennessee's Vice President of Mission Advancement, was quoted as saying of these programs and the benefits they will provide, “These new programs are a direct response to an increasing workforce gap in the healthcare industry. There are tremendous career opportunities in the healthcare sector but not enough skilled workers to fill job openings. Together with Nashville State Community College, we aim to provide immediate solutions for employers while also opening the door to strong careers in healthcare for our clients.”

The three-week Patient Care Technician program began at the start of November 2026, with 12 students participating. The Medical Assistant program is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2027 with 12 additional students. These programs take place at Goodwill’s new Opportunity Center in MetroCenter, which is a 100,000 facility that holds both a clinical training laboratory with hands-on equipment like hospital beds, exam tables, mannequins, and an ECG machine; and a classroom.

In these programs, which have been designed for individuals who do not have any prior healthcare training, students will learn healthcare delivery, patient care, safety and infection prevention, healthcare technology, communication, professionalism, and regulatory compliance. They will become prepared to work as members of a healthcare team in patient-centered care setting.

Nashville State Community College’s part in the partnership comes in the form of curriculum development and instruction, while all equipment and the facility belong to Goodwill Middle Tennessee. 

Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, the president of Nashville State Community College, said, “Goodwill Middle Tennessee and Nashville State are mission-aligned in providing opportunities to connect students and employers through high-quality, innovative educational experiences. Through this workforce solution partnership, we are providing high-demand career opportunities to local residents while delivering a skilled workforce that our healthcare employers urgently need.”

Goodwill Middle Tennessee will be forming a Healthcare Industry Advisory Committee to help ensure its efforts in educating their clients in this manner is relevant to the needs of the region’s healthcare workforce. The Healthcare Industry Advisory Committee will include Ascension Saint Thomas, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, HCA, TriStar, Metro Health, Nashville State Community College, and other partners. 

For more information about Nashville State Community College, visit the school’s website.