you can usually find free classes at nursing homes. we have a nursing home in tennessee owned by hqm called erin care and rehabilitation, and they give 6 week classes and then you work for them for 6 months. you take the state certification about 2 months after you work for them. if you do a search for hqm nursing homes on thier website, you might find one in nc.
if not don't worry, most nursing homes do train for free.