Atlantic, IA— Officials with the Cass Health Nurse Apprenticeship program have announced that they are opening 16 slots for students to begin the Cass Health Nurse Apprentice LPN program in late summer 2026, with an anticipated RN graduation in May 2028.

The Cass Health Nurse Apprenticeship is a highly competitive nurse training program that provides students with a variety of clinical experiences, alleviates the financial burden of higher education, and provides a support system to students before and during nursing school.

Through a partnership with Iowa Western Community College, the apprentices are students of IWCC through a unique hybrid format that allows their classes to be taught online. All in-person coursework is completed at Cass Health, so that the apprentices do not have to travel to Council Bluffs for classes.

Director of Education Brittni Schmidt (BSN, RN, CEN) says “Not only are we offering these students a pathway to an RN career without tuition expenses, this apprenticeship also provides paid employment with on-the-job training, giving these students far more hands-on experience than a traditional nursing student receives.”

As employees, the apprentices work as occasional employees giving them flexibility to manage classes, homework, and studying. By the end of the apprenticeship, each student will have completed 2,000 hours of on-the-job training, and they are eligible for pay increases as they reach milestones throughout the apprenticeship program.

Applications will open on January 12, 2026, and close on March 13, 2026. Applicants must meet the entrance requirements to be considered for the program. Those who qualify will be interviewed in March and April, with the selection process ending in April. The new apprentices will begin working at Cass Health in July 2026 ahead of their fall semester.

For more information on the Nurse Apprenticeship, visit casshealth.org/apprenticeship or call Human Resources at 712-250-8022.