CALA News & Views | Issue 54 | Impact

Growing the Next Generation: Building Career Pathways in Senior Living

In 2025, CALA made meaningful progress in workforce and professional development through initiatives designed to strengthen partnerships, expand educational opportunities and connect students with career pathways in senior living. The year has been filled with impactful programs and collaborations that highlight the collective commitment of our members to ensuring a strong, prepared workforce for the future.

Elevating Students Through Conference Scholarships The Elevate Conference Scholarship remains one of CALA’s most effective outreach strategies. At the spring conference, eight scholarship recipients and one student attendee participated in networking events, where multiple students interviewed with member organizations. One student accepted a job offer directly because of these connections. The fall scholarship program continued with high student engagement and attendance numbers, thanks to generous member sponsorships and ongoing promotion through social media and college partnerships. Partnerships with Higher Education CALA’s collaboration with Washington State University’s Granger Cobb Institute introduced the newly redesigned “Aging Business Operations Certificate” to our Workforce Development Committee in July. Valuable feedback was provided to further tailor the program for member needs. With its online, asynchronous format, this certificate is a flexible and affordable option for advancing employees into management and director-level positions. With a 10% cost savings available to members and a fresh new design, we expect the program to become an increasingly valuable resource. College partnerships also remain a priority. CALA partners in numerous ways with private, state and community colleges to bring students into direct contact with the senior living field. These events highlight the career pathways available to students in psychology, business, hospitality, culinary arts, healthcare and gerontology, while increasing CALA’s presence in higher education settings.

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