Inspiring Conversations with Glenda Shaw of Transition CNA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Glenda Shaw.

Hi Glenda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am very passionate about what I do. The solutions that I am providing, are solutions that I wish I had years ago. I was once a CNA making $9.23 an hour, a single mother, working 40-60 hours per week, receiving public assistance and still having a hard time making ends meet. I knew that one day I wanted to send my children to college, buy a house, Live the American Dream and climb that corporate ladder. I simply had no direction on how to make it happen. My employers had a different agenda for me as they just needed someone to care for patients. I felt hopeless and invisible. Through my succession plan, I worked my way up from a CNA, to an LPN, to an executive, to a 2X CEO/Founder.

When I became a senior care director, I was constantly looking to hire CNAs, asking them to work doubles and adding patients to their assignments. In 2017, I opened Hillendell Medical Training, a CNA school, and was able to fully staff and replenish my community with high quality CNAs. I opened a second location in 2020 and successfully staffed other communities. However, that was still not enough, I knew there was more I could do to make an impact. During my career, I’ve witnessed so many CNAs who’ve had tremendous potential, but became stagnant or abandoned their dreams due to lack of resources for career exposure and development. Now I am building Transition, a career service platform that bridges the disconnect between CNA schools and healthcare employers to better match students with jobs and career advancement opportunities. I want to change lives, provide opportunity, break generational inequities, and allow others to live their American dream.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road has been all but smooth. The journey has been eventful and at times unpredictable. Some of the struggles I faced with Hillendell were getting regulations in order for being an accredited CNA training program in Georgia, and managing the huge influx of students interested in the 16-day program. For Transition, the challenges we face surround maneuvering tech startups, acquiring the right investors and fine-tuning our product to produce lifetime customers.

As you know, we’re big fans of Transition CNA. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Transition is a career service platform that bridges the disconnect between CNA schools and employers to better match students with jobs and career advancement opportunities. Our innovative technology helps students make the transition from CNA candidate to CNA employee to career advancement seamless by offering a collaborative three-sided marketplace (CNA Schools, Students, Healthcare Employers). We are addressing the nation’s CNA shortage crisis. Despite the high demand, there is still no effective way to recruit, hire, and retain quality CNAs. As a result, many CNAs are leaving the field, citing burnout, and facing decades of inequities in a system that was never designed to support them. This workforce is made up of 90% women, and a vast majority are women of color. Transition will ultimately change the world by creating greater upward mobility for Certified Nursing Assistants, who are the forefront and foundation of healthcare. Our vision is to become the designated pipeline for how CNA students enter and advance in the healthcare workforce.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
An important lesson learned since the Covid-19 crisis, is that the CNA shortage has increased by 12%+, now reaching 55% turnover rate. CNAs are quitting citing burnout, low pay and decades of inequity. However, there are still dedicated nursing assistants actively working, who deserve a better work life. Through Transition, our goal is to match top CNAs with top employers in hopes of improving job satisfaction and turnover rates.

Contact Info:

• Email: glenda@jointransition.com
• Website: jointransition.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transitioncna/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=transition%20cna%20inc.
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TransitionCNA