CNA Classes Near Tampa, Florida
Premier Nursing Academy’s CNA training is offered to candidates in and around the Tampa metro area. After graduates have completed our Florida Board of Nursing-approved CNA program, they have the skills and are provisionally able to work for their matched employer even before passing the Nurse Aide Exam. Upon passing the exam and completing other background requirements for the state, you’ll be a fully licensed certified nursing assistant in Florida.
Our Pinellas Park location launched in July 2019 as Premier Nursing Academy’s first Florida branch. Our free CNA classes take between 4 and 6 weeks to complete. We offer both day and night programs to accommodate students with different needs. Consult our class schedule below to see upcoming class start dates and get to know our instructors.
Upcoming Class Start Dates
- All students and staff are required to wear masks while inside our facility.
- Due to State of Florida Department of Health notices and for the safety of the residents of our employer partners, all instructor-supervised clinical instruction will be completed within our simulation lab instead of on-site at a facility. This will not affect our student’s ability to become licensed certified nursing assistants.
- Visitors have been restricted from entering our facility. Students and staff must complete a daily health screening prior to entry.
- Day class schedule
Monday – Thursday, for 4 weeks
8:30 am – 4:30 pm - Evening class schedule
Monday – Friday, for 6 weeks
5:30 pm – 10:00 pm
| Start Date | Day Class | Evening Class |
| 5/24/2021 – Pinellas Park |  | |
| 6/21/2021 – Pinellas Park | | |
| 7/5/2021 – Pinellas Park | |
Find Our Free CNA Classes Near You
Our campus in Pinellas Park connects students with employer partners in Tampa and nearby cities, including Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, and more.
We also offer free CNA classes in Bradenton for students preferring employment in Bradenton, Sarasota, Sun City, Palmetto, and other surrounding areas. For candidates in the Polk County area, check out our CNA program in Lakeland.
Pinellas Park, FL 33782
How to find us: We are located in the Pinellas Place Shopping Center.
Hours
Mon – Fri,
8:30 AM – 10:00 PM
About Our Free CNA Training Program
Premier Nursing Academy’s CNA program provides a combination of classroom and on-site clinical education. This ensures that our graduates are both work-ready to be successful in their careers, as well as meet all state-required training hours needed to sit for certified nursing assistant exams.
Accepted students receive 100% subsidized training. In addition, our students are guaranteed a job after graduation, and our health provider employer partners gain a new supply of talented and trained employees.
- Both day and evening class schedules available
- 4 to 6 weeks training
Daytime sessions run Monday – Thursday for 4 weeks
7.5 instructional hours per day
OR
Evening sessions run Monday – Friday for 6 weeks
4 instructional hours per day - 120 instructional hours
80 hours of classroom-based didactic learning
40 hours of hands-on clinical-based instruction, mostly conducted on-site with one of our employer partners
What is a CNA?
Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are supervised by registered nurses and provide basic patient care. They help with everything from paperwork to assisting patients with daily needs and activities. CNAs may also take vitals, dispense medications, and aid nurses in simple medical treatments, among other activities.
Some people choose to be lifelong CNAs, while others use this as the first step in their medical career paths.
How to Become a CNA in Tampa
CNA requirements in Tampa are the same as those across the rest of the state.
Florida is a “challenge state,” meaning you don’t need to complete a certain number of training hours to become a CNA. Instead, you only need to pass a state exam and meet some other basic requirements, including:
- Completing an approved training program and pass the nursing assistant competency exam; OR
- Being at least 18 years old with a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent and passing the nursing assistant competency exam; OR
- Undergoing a program via the Enterprise Florida Jobs and Education Partnership Grant and passing the nursing assistant competency exam
While the “challenge state” factor may sound great, employers generally prefer to hire applicants who took the time to complete training before taking their tests.
Are you currently a nursing student in Florida?
Check our our new resources guides made for students in Tampa or St. Petersburg!
Pros and Cons of Being a CNA in Tampa
Like studying and working as a CNA in any other place, there are pros and cons to the Tampa area.
Pros of Being a Tampa-area CNA
Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located, has a ton of different medical facilities, from primary care to assisted living to hospitals. As you study and begin your career in the Tampa area, remember you can start in one type of care and move to another after gaining some experience that may appeal to different types of employers.
The number of potential workplaces in the Tampa area isn’t the only benefit to becoming a CNA there. U.S. News & World Report named Tampa the fourth best place to live in Florida for 2020-2021. The city also ranked in the top 40 for best places to live in the U.S. and as the 20th best place to retire—meaning if you hope to work with older adults, this could be a great place for you to be a CNA.
The cost of living in Tampa is a bit lower than the national average, too.
Cons of Working as a Tampa-area CNA
If you’re looking for a community of lifelong residents or a youthful environment, Tampa may not be for you. Most people living there are from other parts of the country, and only about 18% of residents are between the ages of 20 and 34
How Much do CNAs Make in Tampa and the Surrounding Areas?
Florida’s CNAs earn an average of $21,090 to $36,600 per year, with a median of $27,100. Those in the Tampa region often earn even more:
| Location | Median CNA Salary |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $28,460 |
| Pinellas Park | $29,287 |
| Brandon | $29,280 |
| Largo | $29,252 |
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater salary data are from O*Net (2019). The others are from Salary.com (2021).
CNA pay varies based not just on your amount of training or years worked but also on your workplace. If you work in a specialized hospital, you may earn more than those in assisted living facilities, for instance.
CNA Job Growth in Florida
The nation is experiencing a nursing shortage, which includes CNAs. Florida, in particular, is experiencing a drop in the number of new CNAs every year, meaning this could be a good place to get your start. The number of CNA jobs in Florida is expected to grow and faster than the rest of the country.
- Florida CNA Growth 2018-2028: 11%
- National CNA Growth 2019-2029: 8%
Data from O*Net
To put it a different way, Florida expects 12,170 CNA jobs to open, while the U.S. anticipates there will be 174,000 new ones—meaning 7% of all new predicted CNA jobs could be in Florida.
Our Employer Partners Have CNA Jobs Near You
We partner with healthcare employers all over the greater Tampa metro area. Depending on your location, there may be multiple facilities to choose from. You can fill out our form to speak with an admissions representative and find out which options are available for you.
Premier Nursing Academy is proud to have placed graduates with these Tampa Bay-area employers and many others.
Admissions At a Glance
Meet Our Team
They say when you know, you know. Gail has known her whole life that she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, and that’s exactly …
Though she’s a recent addition to the Premier Nursing Academy team, Evelyn is not new to working with students. She has spent a lot of time …
Student Testimonials
Featured Employers
