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the primary locations for the nation’s retirement population means that most health care workers will cope with the issues of elder care during their career.
Description: Florida has been the destination of choice for decades for retirees seeking a home in a state with year-round sunshine, a relatively low cost of living and no state income tax, so that their retirement funds stretch further. The state currently ranks number one in the percentage of citizens who are elders and will likely continue. For this reason, Florida has long been aware of the need to train a labor force with the skills to care for the needs of this large segment of its population. Florida’s technical schools, community colleges, and universities all have strong records of preparing individuals for all areas of the elder health care industry-from physicians specializing in gerontology to in-home caregivers. The Florida Statewide Demand Occupations List, which sets the training agenda for all workforce training programs in Florida, has on it more than 11 health-related occupations, all listed as high skill, high wage occupations. The list does not include all the beginning-level training programs, such as Certified Nurse Assistants, where many individuals start their career path in elder health care in the state’s multitude of assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
As an integral part of the workforce system in Florida, TANF-funded Welfare Transition Program participants are encouraged to train for occupations with growth and high wage potential.