PHOENIX — Arizona is facing a major shortage of homecare aides, but a Valley nonprofit is trying to change that by creating a way to cultivate the next crop of workers by starting young.
They haven't even graduated yet, but these Cortez High School students are already learning important skills that are setting them up for jobs in the future and beyond.
"It's just an amazing opportunity," explained senior Sharai Marroquin. "People need care. And need to feel like they still have life in them. That's the reason I want to be in healthcare."
Marroquin and her friends are part of a new paid internship program offered through the school and Valley-based nonprofit Home Assist Health.
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"We came in knowing nothing - totally unaware of what's going on or what we got ourselves into," said Marroquin.
These students quickly learned the ropes from the pros and not just hands-on skills.
"These students are already learning about home health and what it means to be a care worker," explained Zachariah Cortez with Home Assist Health. He also says they give students an up-close look at the business side. "How does a business work? How can I be a really good business partner while also being a subject matter expert in the field? So I really wanted to bridge the gap!"
That's not the only void they're helping to fill. According to recent data from the Maricopa Association of Governments, Arizona has more than 1.2 million people aged 65 and older, representing more than 17% of the state's population.
It's a number that's expected to surge in years to come and is also part of the reason why Arizona and many others face a shortage of homecare workers.
According to Home Assist Health, Arizona will need 190,000 more homecare workers by 2030.
Students, like Marroquin, feel like they're helping to solve the problem and helping honor a personal mission.
"My mother passed away ten years ago," she explained. "Seeing her in that state and seeing people go in and out of the hospital, it really has been an 'a-ha moment' and an eye-opener."
The Direct Care Workers program that Marroquin is enrolled in is offered at Cortez, Skyline, and Paradise Valley high schools. The internship is in conjunction with training programs in place at these schools.
Interns get paid and typically work 3-5 hours a week.
By the end of their program, they'll have enough hours to earn a state-level certification at no extra cost, meaning they're ready to work immediately when they finish the program.
A separate program has been set up through Maricopa Community Colleges.
For more information about Home Assist Health, click here.
CONTINUING COVERAGE
ABC15's Nick Ciletti followed up on this topic and talked with experts about the industry and efforts to keep workers from leaving for higher-paying jobs. The industry as a whole is fighting for better reimbursement rates — watch that interview here.
