MetLife Foundation donates to caregiver training programs

MetLife Foundation donates to caregiver training programs

As the healthcare profession is expected to face a growing shortage of workers in the next several years, the MetLife Foundation has offered grants in the amount of $20,000 to 15 community colleges to develop caregiver training programs.

This may be welcome news to those who consider returning to school to earn a valuable degree that will help them start a rewarding career. Among the schools which have been selected to receive the funds is Clark College from Vancouver, Washigton, which will create home-based training through E-learning modules.

"More than ever, people who need quality homecare are having difficulty finding it, and families who often provide care are facing greater challenges balancing work and home responsibilities," says Dr. Robert N. Butler, president and CEO of the International Longevity Center, which helped select the winning schools.

Meanwhile, Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation, adds, "Community colleges are perfectly positioned to help address a growing caregiving crisis."

Another option for career-oriented adults is to enroll in an online nursing degree offered by one of many institutions around the country.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in the nursing field is expected to average 23 percent over the next seven years, and the top salaries in the field already exceed $83,000 per year.

Meanwhile, demand for home care workers will grow by a staggering 51 percent until 2016, the source estimates.