Even before there was this thing called the coronavirus pandemic, the shortage of direct care workers in the state of Michigan was acute. The pandemic has only exacerbated that shortage, putting a white hot focus on the need to fill those jobs.
As a result, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Aging and Adult Services Agency is partnering with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) to host a virtual job fair for Southeast Michigan employers to help address a shortage of direct care workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has worsened the existing shortage and created significant staffing demands for licensed long-term care organizations throughout Michigan. Support for home health agencies is needed more than ever. The upcoming virtual job fair allows home health agencies the opportunity to highlight their organizations’ mission and vision, summarize current job opportunities, post a video about their organization, and talk with job seekers in a virtual platform.
Dr. Alexis Travis, MDHHS Senior Deputy Director at the Aging and Adult Services Agency, says, “We are excited to partner with Detroit Area Agency on Aging on this unique way for job seekers and employers to connect,” and adds, “Michigan currently has a direct care worker shortage of 34,000 and this is one of several strategies we are pursuing to help build and support this important sector of the health care workforce.”
The virtual event will take place on Tuesday, October 27th, from 9 am to noon. Home health agencies looking to hire can sign up for a “virtual booth” at no cost until October 13th, and job seekers can sign up for the event at this link: http://bit.ly/BrazenConnectMI
Ronald S. Taylor, President and CEO at the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, says, “The older adults we serve rely on home care agencies to provide services that allow them to age in place,” and adds, “We hope the virtual job fair will connect job seekers with a passion for supporting older adults to opportunities in the communities we serve.”
Virtual Job Fair events are hosted on the Brazen platform by MDHHS and are made possible thanks to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Office of Employment, which supports virtual job fair host organizations with the technical aspects of these events and assists with promoting them to job seekers in Michigan and beyond.
