CALA News & Views | Issue 56 | Innovative Aging

A t Elevate : CALA’s Spring Conference & Trade Show, workforce leaders explored innovative strategies that are helping communities connect with new talent sources while reducing reliance on costly temporary staffing solutions. Looking Beyond Traditional Recruitment The financial impact of staffing shortages can be significant. While temporary staffing agencies can help fill immediate gaps, agency rates often exceed direct hire costs by 35% to 50%. For many providers, even reducing one agency position can result in substantial annual savings while improving workforce stability and employee engagement. Rather than focusing solely on filling today’s openings, organizations are finding success by investing in relationships that create a continuous flow of future candidates. Connecting with Students and Emerging Talent One of the most effective opportunities is recruiting directly from colleges and universities. Platforms such as Handshake provide access to millions of students and recent graduates actively seeking part-time employment, internships and entry-level career opportunities. CALA recently partnered with member communities to promote positions through Handshake, generating hundreds of student applications across a variety of roles. Interestingly, applicants represented a broad range of academic backgrounds – from engineering and forestry to fine arts and English – demonstrating that senior living careers appeal to individuals with diverse interests and skill sets.

attend Elevate: CALA's Annual Conference & Trade Show. The program produces tangible results: several recipients from the most recent scholarship cohort received job offers from CALA member communities they met during the conference and have since begun their careers in senior living. By creating meaningful opportunities for students to build relationships with employers in an immersive setting, the Elevate Scholarship demonstrates how investing in emerging talent can translate into successful recruitment and long-term workforce development. Partnering with America’s Job Centers of California America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs) offer another valuable recruitment channel. These workforce centers connect employers with job seekers who may be unemployed, underemployed, changing careers, returning to the workforce or seeking additional training. AJCC staff will help plan and promote hiring events, recruit attendees from their existing pool of job seekers and provide on-site support to help employers reach qualified candidates. A recent example of this partnership was CALA’s Senior Living Career Fair at the Hillsdale Job Center in Sacramento. The event highlighted a wide range of career opportunities in senior living, from caregiving and culinary positions to concierge and food service roles. Feedback from both employers and attendees was positive, and the event was considered a successful example of how partnering with a local AJCC can help connect senior living providers with job seekers while increasing awareness of careers in the profession. Tapping into Job Corps Talent Job Corps provides no-cost education and career training for young adults ages 16 to 24, preparing students for employment in fields that align well with senior living, including healthcare, culinary services, hospitality and building maintenance. To connect this emerging talent with senior living employers, CALA partnered with Argentum and Management & Training Corporation (MTC) to co-host senior living career fairs at the San Diego and Los Angeles Job Corps Centers. Participating members met directly with students, conducted on-the-spot interviews, toured the campuses and engaged with Job Corps

Beyond online recruiting, providers can strengthen their presence by attending campus career fairs, speaking to student organizations, hosting community tours and participating in scholarship programs that introduce students to careers in aging services. Through CALA’s Elevate Scholarship program, students, recent graduates and military veterans who are exploring careers in senior living are awarded a full three-day conference registration to

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