Job Fair Held For Health Care Workers As Industry Sees 'unprecedented' Rates Of Turnover
COLUMBIA - The past few years have made it more difficult for many industries, especially health care.
The Columbia Job Center held a hiring event Wednesday specifically for health care openings in Missouri. Eleven groups were set up at the walk-in event at the Columbia Public Library. A spokesperson for one of the groups, Kindred at Home, said it is always hiring.
"We ensure that our employees aren't getting burnt out," Kaijah Greenwood said. "They don't have to travel long distances, we keep them close to home."
Data from the Missouri Hospital Association's (MHA) 2021 Workforce Report shows a nursing staff nurse vacancy of 12% and a staff nurse turnover rate of 18.1%.
According to the MHA's vice president of media relations, this year's data already shows unprecedented rates of turnover and vacancy in health care positions.
"Preliminary data suggests upwards of 20% combined turnover and vacancy in staff nurses," Dave Dillion said. "Burnout [in the health care industry] has been exacerbated by COVID-19."
One Columbia resident went to the job fair in hopes of securing a physician's assistant position. He said the challenges of the pandemic have made securing a job harder.
"Screen time does not have any kind of holding or any kind of standing with a face-to-face interaction," Andrew Flickinger said. "It's good now that we're finally getting to a point that I can come to a job fair. I can actually stick my neck out there and look for a position that would be able to facilitate my career."
Dillon said it is crucial to continue to develop strategies to produce a system that continues to bring in health care workers, such as the job fair.
As for Flickinger, he's just trying to get in on helping others.
"The puzzles and the aspect of being able to put smiles on people's faces and comfort them when in their times of need is just something that has always made me happy," he said.
If you missed Wednesday's job fair at the Columbia Public Library, there will be four more health care-specific fairs this year from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates:
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