CNA Mentor Program

INDUSTRY | TECH START UP

Designed, launched, and scaled a mentor program for an online CNA training and job placement program

NextStep offered tuition-free CNA training and job placement via a unique blended learning approach, which combined online coursework and in-person experiential learning. Participants were paired with a dedicated CNA mentor, who helped them set goals, complete pre-clinical requirements, and prepare for practice labs and clinical practicums. After graduation, participants were connected with job opportunities at NextStep's employer partners and continued to receive on-the-job support from their mentor.

The challenge

After launching the MVP, my primary focus was to craft a mentor support program that provided exceptional customer support while collaborating with teams across the organization to map the user journey and strengthen the product and service delivery by streamlining features and services.

As NextStep expanded into new markets, it became essential to leverage the collective knowledge and expertise of the organization to drive continuous improvement, while also being agile and responsive to emerging market trends and insights. The pandemic presented challenges for operations as restrictions were implemented, and yet the demand for more CNAs continued to grow rapidly. To meet these challenges, the organization had to be innovative and creative, finding new ways to expand and serve our customers effectively.

The solution

My goal was to create a scalable mentor service that elevated the user experience and kept unit costs low.

To began by recruiting and training a team of CNA mentors. I utilized service design research to conduct low-risk experiments to determine the optimal services and automations. I assigned each CNA mentor a caseload of learners starting at registration. Mentors conducted weekly calls, and later group sessions and webinars through graduation and job placement. Communication gradually became more low touch through 90 days on the job.

Data revealed that mentors played a critical role in boosting graduation rates. To ensure consistency, I created a comprehensive set of policies and procedures, as well as scripts and templates. I designed a mentor training program, and implemented a quality assurance system.

In addition, I collaborated with other teams to improve product features, program operations, marketing activities, and sales strategies. My focus was on delivering a product and service that exceeded customer expectations and enabled NextStep to rapidly scale while adapting to changing market conditions.

Key accomplishments include:

• Developed the CNA mentor service from the ground up and scaled it to three states.

• Led implementation of Salesforce for internal operations and ensured stakeholders were properly trained.

• Defined KPIs and team performance metrics to drive business goals.

• Created mentor engagement standards and protocols to promote learner progress and successful job placement.

• Collaborated with the marketing team on automated learner communications.

• Established competencies, a QA protocol, and a training program, ensuring mentors were equipped to provide high-quality support.

• Developed policy and procedure assets and architecture in Google Drive, and subsequently transitioned them to Salesforce Knowledge, streamlining organization-wide knowledge management.

• Grew the team to 15 diverse and talented staff working remotely and spanning the U.S., fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.

• Developed an operational structure, including a team leader, lead mentor, QA specialist, and mentor levels I and II, enabling us to efficiently manage and support our growing learner population.

The Results

• Data demonstrated learners who attended a mentor-led orientation webinar were 10 times more likely to graduate

• Data showed learners who engaged with a mentor were 5.08 times more likely to graduate.

• Developed an incentive program showing that 78% of learners who receive an incentive graduate

• Scaled service to three states

• Increased graduation by 44% from 2020 to 2021

• Increased job placement by 77% from 2020 to 2021