Employer-paid CNA training ยท Providence, RI
Free CNA classes in Providence include Brown University Health's nursing assistant training, with nearby options in Pawtucket and Warwick. Compare each sponsor's intake, covered expenses and work agreement before choosing a course that fits your schedule.
These sponsors publish no-cost training and intake information, checked October 27, 2026; confirm your next available start directly. The check line under each sponsor gives its Rhode Island nursing assistant training license, active status and expiration date.
3 options listed
| Employer or sponsor | Training | Type | Length | Work commitment | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University HealthProvidence, RIRhode Island Department of Health: Active, NATP00152; expires March 28, 2027 (checked October 27, 2026) Recruitment open; information sessions October 30, November 2 and November 4. Class start and training wages are not published. RIDOH lists LIFESPAN DBA BROWN UNIVERSITY HEALTH in Providence; confirm classroom and clinical locations. Apply page | Nursing Assistant Training Program | Employer-paid | 14 weeks | Ask employer | Free, employer program page checked October 27, 2026 |
| Harbor of Hope Foundation / Zenith CNA AcademyPawtucket, RIRhode Island Department of Health: Active, NATP00180; expires August 25, 2027 (checked October 27, 2026) Sponsor welcomes applications in person and offers daytime and evening classes; next cohort date is not published. Applicants 18 and older need a high school diploma or GED. RIDOH lists HARBOR OF HOPE DBA ZENITH CNA ACADEMY in Pawtucket. Apply page | Free CNA Training Program | Grant-funded | Ask employer | Ask employer | No cost to participants, sponsor program page checked October 27, 2026 |
| Saint Elizabeth CommunityWarwick, RIRhode Island Department of Health: Active, NATP00149; expires November 5, 2027 (checked October 27, 2026) Next class starts December 7, 2026. Hiring-event attendance is required; the page lists October 27, 2026 in East Greenwich. Classes meet Monday-Thursday, 3:30-9 p.m., in Warwick. Confirm intake availability, training wages and repayment terms; HR contact shown. Apply page | CNA Training Program | Tuition-free with work agreement | 8 weeks | One year after graduation, at least 24 scheduled hours per week | Free for candidates selected for employment, employer program page checked October 27, 2026 |
Employers change these offers often. Confirm pay, hours, the work commitment and any repayment terms on the employer's own page before you apply.
Brown University Health's Nursing Assistant School combines classroom lessons, skills labs and clinical experience at a health system location.
Rhode Island Department of Health: Active, NATP00152; expires March 28, 2027 (checked October 27, 2026)Zenith CNA Academy provides classroom, practical and clinical instruction through Harbor of Hope's community training program in Pawtucket.
Rhode Island Department of Health: Active, NATP00180; expires August 25, 2027 (checked October 27, 2026)Saint Elizabeth Community teaches classroom and clinical nursing assistant skills at its Warwick workforce center before a required year of employment.
Rhode Island Department of Health: Active, NATP00149; expires November 5, 2027 (checked October 27, 2026)Match the sponsor's name and city to the RIDOH full-program list. Ask the sponsor to identify the classroom and clinical sites before you choose a schedule.
Brown University Health lists upcoming information sessions. Zenith describes an application and information-session process, with a diploma or GED required for applicants 18 and older.
Ask which expenses and school hours the sponsor covers. Federal nursing-facility rules protect qualifying employed aides and aides with an employment offer when training begins from training and competency-evaluation charges, including required materials.
Rhode Island's rule requires at least 120 clock hours, including 40 practical hours. A free seat still requires you to complete the approved course.
RIDOH identifies Credentia as the exam contact. State regulations require passing written and practical examinations; confirm your exam registration and license application steps with the program.
BLS reported 13,030 nursing assistant jobs (SOC 31-1131) in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area in May 2025. The median wage was $22.27 an hour, or $46,330 a year. These estimates describe the occupation across the metro; they do not establish a trainee's wage or a new graduate's starting pay.
Use the sponsor's written offer to check paid training time, weekly hours, shift differentials and the schedule after licensing. Providence Trade Schools provides independent information and does not hire workers, accept job applications or arrange enrollment. Contact the sponsor directly about its current training and employment terms.
Brown University Health publishes free training, and Zenith CNA Academy says participants pay nothing for its course. Request a written list covering books, uniforms, health checks, state exams and retests. Free tuition alone does not establish paid school hours.
For another local course, CCRI lists employer sponsorship, possible SNAP tuition and fee assistance, and WIOA funding. These are conditional funding routes, so have eligibility and the funded campus confirmed first. Rhode Island DLT directs applicants to an American Job Center or career coach for WIOA review and eligible-provider checks. Ask for approval before paying a deposit. A nursing-facility job may also trigger the separate federal reimbursement protections described below.
A tuition-free course does not by itself promise wages. Brown University Health publishes free instruction but does not list training pay on its program page. Ask for an employment offer that states your paid hours, rate, first paid day and any work commitment. Budget for time in class separately until the sponsor confirms those terms.
Under 42 CFR 483.152(c), a covered nursing facility cannot charge an aide who is employed there or has its employment offer when training begins for any part of the training and competency evaluation, including required materials. If an aide is hired or receives an offer within 12 months after completion, the State must provide for pro rata reimbursement during aide employment. Ask the facility and state about the process.
CCRI's CNA page identifies employer-sponsored seats, possible SNAP assistance and possible WIOA funding. Those options have eligibility requirements. DLT says an American Job Center or career coach can review WIOA eligibility and training-provider options. Confirm your award, class location and covered fees before committing to a course.
Saint Elizabeth Community lists a December 7, 2026 class and an October 27 hiring event in East Greenwich. Attendance at a hiring event is required for consideration. Classes run eight weeks in Warwick, with a one-year employment agreement of at least 24 scheduled hours weekly after graduation. Confirm the next available hiring event and whether seats remain before making plans.
Yes. The tuition arrangement does not replace licensing requirements. Rhode Island regulations require both written and practical examinations, with three opportunities to pass and completion within one year of starting training. RIDOH directs exam questions to Credentia. Ask your program who submits the paperwork and pays exam fees.
Contact the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry Program, which oversees the state's registry, training and competency evaluation. Its published number is (617) 753-8144. Tell staff which Rhode Island course you plan to take and where you want to work. Ask which certification or transfer process applies before assuming a Rhode Island training seat meets your Massachusetts employment plans.
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Check the sponsor's next intake and written cost coverage alongside the class, clinical and employment hours you can commit to.