New Woonsocket Nursing Lab Opens, Training 33 Future CNAs

Two CCRI cohorts are receiving classroom, laboratory and clinical training through the new facility

An 840-square-foot nursing education lab has opened at the Woonsocket Education Center, expanding healthcare workforce training opportunities in northern Rhode Island.

Federal, state and local officials joined business and philanthropic leaders Friday to celebrate the lab’s opening at the center’s Main Street location.

Two Community College of Rhode Island cohorts, totaling 33 participants, are currently enrolled in the 13-week Certified Nursing Assistant program. One cohort began July 21 and the second began August 18. The programs combine classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory experience and clinical training and are approved by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

“This expansion represents a significant step forward in Woonsocket Education Center’s healthcare training portfolio, directly aligning with regional workforce shortages and employer demand in the healthcare sector,” said Jill Olson-Crowley, director of the center.

The new lab is designed to recreate the setting students will encounter while caring for patients. It includes simulated patient manikins, hospital-style beds, wheelchairs, privacy dividers, personal protective equipment, commodes, sinks, worktables and medical instruments including stethoscopes and blood-pressure cuffs.

The Champlin Foundation provided capital funding for the expansion, while the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RIDLT) supported the CNA programming. Together, the grants totaled $200,377.

Rhode Island Postsecondary Education Commissioner Shannon Gilkey called the center “a long-term investment in northern Rhode Island that ripples throughout the entire state.”

“We are training Rhode Islanders for good jobs that employers need to fill today, while helping businesses build the skilled workforce they need to grow and stay here,” Gilkey said.

The Woonsocket Education Center opened in August 2022 and is managed by the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner. The center says 15,072 people have participated in its educational and workforce training activities since its creation.

Rhode Island set a goal for 70% of Rhode Islanders to earn the postsecondary degrees and credentials needed to qualify to work in high-wage, in-demand jobs. As of February 2025, our attainment rate is 55.2%.

Located at 115 Main Street, the center is a public-private collaboration connecting higher education, employers, government agencies and community organizations with workforce training opportunities.

More information and current course listings are available at Woonsocket Education Center.