“As a CNA, I do many of the same things I did as a caregiver, but now I have even more knowledge.” She’s also helping close a worsening gap. In California and across the nation, health care facilities are facing a critical shortage of licensed staff, particularly registered nurses (who are responsible for guiding a patient’s overall care), licensed vocational nurses, and certified nursing assistants— a trend that was exacerbated by the pandemic. According to the American Health Care Association, 72 percent of nursing homes have lower workforce levels than they did pre-pandemic, and 89 percent are actively hiring RNs. Already short an estimated 130,000 workers nationally, senior homes are also required to increase staffing levels as a result of new rules imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In light of numbers like those, the Masonic Homes Academy is a rare win-win. Augustin is one of 60 graduates of the program who have gone on to accept roles either at the Masonic Homes or with other care facilities in the area. In addition to having their tuition covered, students can receive financial assistance for ancillary costs through the Gateway-In Project, a nonprofit that helps with childcare, computer, and textbook expenses. Chris Gershtein, the vice president of clinical services at the Masonic Homes (and a registered nurse) calls the program a “total success,” adding, “Part of the beauty of this partnership is that it enabled people already working for the Masonic Homes, whether in administrative or janitorial positions, to get the training necessary to become CNAs.” In addition to training those existing, in-house workers, the program also helped the Masonic Homes recruit new trainees from out-side its walls.

The results are stark: Prior to launching the program, the Masonic Homes in Union City had 20 openings for CNA roles. Now there are only a few, and Gershtein is confident those will be filled quickly. In fact, the program’s sterling record may ultimately be its undoing. After finishing this year’s cohort of 60 trainees, it’s not clear whether the academy will be extended. “It’s a victim of its own sucess, “Gershtein says with a laugh.

As for Augustin, while she’s excited about her role as a CNA, she’s already looking down the road, eyeing certification as a restorative assistant, which involves expertise in therapeutic rehabilitation. “No matter what, I’m excited to go to work every day,” she says. “I love taking care of the residents.”