Stepful

Stepful is a healthcare staffing and training company based in New York, founded in 2021. It provides training programs and staffing solutions to fill healthcare vacancies efficiently while reducing hiring costs. The company focuses on creating accessible career pathways in healthcare, offering upskilling, apprenticeships, and externships to job seekers and employers.

Stepful operates the largest online school for medical assistants in the United States. It also offers certification programs for surgical technologists, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and pharmacy technicians. The company’s training model is structured to support working adults through cohort-based, instructor-led courses, virtual simulations, and 1:1 coaching. Stepful’s programs have a 90% completion rate, and an 85% national certification rate, and are four times faster than community college programs.

The company has secured $31.5 million in Series B funding. It partners with healthcare employers to provide scalable training solutions, ensuring candidates receive job-ready skills. Stepful works with employers by identifying talent from within communities, offering clinical training, certification programs, and career placement support.

Stepful’s healthcare staffing solutions help retain employees through structured upskilling programs. Employers can also access apprenticeships to train new candidates without prior healthcare experience. Its externship programs allow students to gain practical experience, strengthening the workforce pipeline.

The company follows a values-driven approach known as POSH: Passionate, Optimistic, Supportive, and Hardworking. Its leadership team includes CEO Carl Madi, Chief Product Officer Tressia Hobeika, and Head of Growth Emmanuel Chiappini.

Stepful has been featured in major publications, including Axios, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider. Graduates have been placed in reputable healthcare organisations. Its structured online training model ensures that students complete certification efficiently and secure employment, making it a significant contributor to workforce development in the healthcare industry.

Stepful was founded in 2021 in New York with the objective of addressing the growing shortage of trained healthcare professionals in the United States. The organisation developed a structured training and staffing model to help individuals enter the healthcare workforce efficiently while supporting healthcare employers in filling critical vacancies. The initial focus was on medical assistant training, offering an online program that combined instructor-led courses, cohort-based learning, and virtual simulations. The training was designed to be flexible and accessible, especially for working adults, with additional in-person clinical hours to provide hands-on experience.

As Stepful grew, it expanded its training programs to include pharmacy technicians, surgical technologists, and licensed practical nurses (LPNs). To address industry needs, the company introduced apprenticeship programs that enabled candidates without prior healthcare experience to receive training and secure employment. Employers could identify potential employees from within their local communities, and Stepful provided certification programs and job placement support. To further strengthen the workforce pipeline, Stepful launched externship programs, allowing students to gain practical experience in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

In response to increasing demand, Stepful raised $31.5 million in Series B funding, which helped expand its training programs and partnerships with healthcare institutions. By focusing on efficiency, the company achieved a 90% completion rate, an 85% national certification rate, and a training model that was four times faster than traditional community college programs. Stepful’s scalable solution enabled employers to fill urgent roles quickly while providing career advancement opportunities for existing healthcare workers.

To enhance its impact, Stepful implemented a POSH framework—Passionate, Optimistic, Supportive, and Hardworking—which guided its training approach and engagement with students and employers. The company handled the entire training and placement process, from clinical mapping and grant funding identification to live training sessions and job placement. Its structured and outcome-driven model gained recognition, with major publications such as Axios, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider covering its growth and success.

By 2024, Stepful had established itself as the largest online school for medical assistants in the United States. It had partnered with leading healthcare employers to provide workforce development solutions and had trained thousands of students through its online platform. The company continued expanding its course offerings, improving its apprenticeship model, and refining its online training methods to better serve students and employers.

As Stepful entered 2025, it further developed its technology-driven training solutions to scale its impact nationwide. The company enhanced its mobile-first learning platform, integrating virtual reality simulations to improve hands-on learning experiences for students. It also strengthened its partnerships with hospitals, clinics, and healthcare networks to provide seamless transition opportunities from training to employment.

Stepful also focused on expanding its upskilling initiatives, allowing more healthcare professionals to advance their careers through structured training programs. By leveraging employer partnerships and grant funding opportunities, the company ensured that healthcare organisations could train and retain their workforce efficiently.

By early 2025, Stepful had trained thousands of healthcare professionals, improving job placement rates and strengthening the overall healthcare workforce. Its commitment to providing scalable, high-quality training solutions positioned it as a leading provider of healthcare staffing and education solutions in the United States. The organisation continued to grow, with a focus on innovation, accessibility, and workforce development, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of trained healthcare professionals.

Stepful’s mission is to create accessible career pathways in healthcare for individuals from all backgrounds. The company aims to bridge the gap between job seekers and healthcare employers by providing high-quality training, certification, and job placement services. Stepful focuses on upskilling existing employees, offering apprenticeships for new candidates, and providing externships for practical experience. Through its structured programs, Stepful ensures that healthcare professionals receive the necessary skills to succeed in their roles. By partnering with employers, Stepful helps fill critical vacancies efficiently while reducing hiring costs. The company remains committed to strengthening the healthcare workforce through education and training.

Stepful envisions a future where healthcare education is accessible, efficient, and scalable. The company aims to train and place one million job seekers in healthcare roles, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled professionals. Stepful seeks to expand its technology-driven training solutions, making learning more engaging and effective. By strengthening partnerships with hospitals, clinics, and healthcare networks, it aims to improve workforce retention and job placement rates. The vision includes a sustainable healthcare system where individuals can advance their careers through structured training and support. Stepful remains committed to closing skills gaps and ensuring better patient care through workforce development.

Stepful has been recognised for its contribution to healthcare training and workforce development. It has been featured in Axios, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider for its innovative training solutions. The company’s 90% completion rate and 85% certification pass rate have set industry benchmarks. Stepful’s scalable model has been praised for addressing healthcare workforce shortages efficiently. It has partnered with leading healthcare employers to place thousands of trained professionals in jobs. Its technology-driven training programs have been acknowledged for improving accessibility and career growth in healthcare. 

Stepful provides healthcare training, staffing, and upskilling solutions to support job seekers and employers. The company’s services are designed to help individuals enter the healthcare industry through structured learning programs while assisting healthcare employers in filling vacancies quickly. Stepful offers a range of certification programs, apprenticeships, externships, and career advancement training, ensuring a steady supply of skilled healthcare professionals.

Healthcare Training Programmes

Stepful operates the largest online medical assistant training school in the United States and offers several other healthcare training programmes. These courses are structured to ensure students gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, preparing them for employment in medical settings.

Medical Assistant Training

A four-month online programme with 80 clinical hours.

Prepares students for National Healthcareer Association (NHA) certification.

Covers administrative and clinical duties for hospitals and primary care clinics.

Includes 1:1 coaching, resume support, and job placement assistance.

Boasts an 87% certification pass rate, higher than the national average.

Pharmacy Technician Training

A four-month online programme with 130 clinical hours.

Prepares students for Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam.

Covers prescription processing, customer service, and retail/hospital pharmacy operations.

Includes virtual learning, real-world simulations, and employer partnerships.

Pass rate 12% higher than the national average.

Surgical Technologist and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Training

Provides structured learning pathways for surgical technologists and LPNs.

Designed to help hospitals and clinics address workforce shortages.

Includes clinical training, industry certifications, and career placement support.

Apprenticeship Programmes

Stepful offers apprenticeships for individuals with no prior healthcare experience, allowing them to train for healthcare roles while working. These programmes help employers build a workforce by identifying high-potential candidates from local communities.

Employers identify potential candidates for training.

Stepful creates customised training and certification programmes.

Candidates receive practical experience through structured on-the-job training.

Employers review and place successful trainees in full-time positions.

This model helps healthcare organisations reduce hiring costs and train employees in a short period while ensuring candidates develop essential skills.

Externship Programmes

Externships allow students to gain real-world healthcare experience before completing their certification. Stepful collaborates with hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities to provide externship opportunities.

Students complete affiliation agreements with healthcare facilities.

Gain hands-on training in medical environments.

Earn practical experience credits, improving employability.

Helps bridge the gap between classroom learning and job placement.

Upskilling and Career Advancement

Stepful works with healthcare employers to train and upskill existing employees, ensuring workforce retention and career growth.

Employees receive advanced training to transition into higher roles.

Employers reduce hiring costs by filling positions internally.

Stepful provides personalised learning plans to meet industry needs.

Job Placement and Support

Stepful offers 1:1 job coaching, helping students secure employment after certification. Services include:

Resume building and interview preparation.

Job placement partnerships with leading healthcare employers.

Support after hiring to ensure job success.