The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts the U.S. will need 1.2 million additional direct care professionals (DCPs) by 2030 -- more than any other occupation -- in order to meet the needs of an accelerating age wave. But evidence suggests that many of these workers won’t materialize in the numbers needed unless and until they know that the field is much more highly regarded than it is today.

A potential national solution is to rapidly develop and deploy a program of online free trainings grounded in core competencies that meet or exceed current standards, and which can be posted by the federal government.

The online trainings would complement in-person skills demonstrations and would be designed to be suitable for a wide range of DCP positions, including residential, community-based, and in-home settings.

The training can be accompanied by a national Careforce Marketing Campaign tailored to reach individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages in an organized mass recruiting initiative.