Clare Senior Care’s Workforce Development Apprenticeship is tackling Massachusetts’ healthcare crisis by training Home Health & Personal Care Aides to reduce hospital backlogs and keep seniors safe at home. This 50-second briefing shows the data-driven need—15,000+ unfilled jobs, long discharge waits—and how Clare’s earn-while-you-learn program, partnered with CTIS and MassTech, builds real skills: hands-on care + digital literacy. See how trained caregivers ease hospital strain, restore dignity to patients, and create meaningful local careers. [read more]
At Clare Senior Care, we believe that success comes from seizing opportunities. Our Workforce Development Apprenticeship Program is designed to equip you with the skills, certifications, and real-world experience you need to build a brighter future — for yourself and your community.
Hospitals face unprecedented financial pressures while workforce shortages paralyze patient care. The time to act is now.
the presentationThe Massachusetts healthcare system is in crisis. An estimated 19,000 acute care hospital positions are unfilled. Wait times have increased as hundreds of patients are boarding in emergency departments and other units. Hospitals are seeing unprecedented backups in transferring patients to post-acute care settings, as well as skyrocketing labor costs – including a projected $1 billion in travel labor costs this year alone – to recruit and retain the workers who make their facilities run.
read More: An Acute crisisMassachusetts health and human service providers face severe, related challenges: unprecedented workforce shortages and a lack of diversity. These issues negatively impact care access, quality, cost, and health outcomes, especially for people of color.
To address this, the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) launched the Massachusetts Health Care Workforce Survey (MHCW). The first survey, collecting data across ten key healthcare sectors, was fielded from May 2023 to January 2024, with results released in May 2024. The survey was expanded to include the human service sector in July 2024; those results are now available following the conclusion of fielding in September 2024. This data provides a crucial fact base to inform policies and monitor sector trends. The 2025 survey is currently underway.
Massachusetts Healthcare Workfore SurveyCommunity-Driven & Supportive “Learn, Earn, and Make a Difference.” Become part of Clare’s mission to care for seniors in your community while building your career as a certified caregiver. 💻 Sign up now to join our next apprenticeship class!
This two courses (powered by PHCAST) , Personal Care & Homemaker Foundations, is a simple, easy-to-follow online training designed to give you the skills and confidence to be a compassionate and safe caregiver in someone’s home. It’s self-paced, so you can learn at your own speed!
Through engaging videos, simple quizzes, and real-life examples, you’ll master the most important duties of a home caregiver:
Your Job & Professionalism: Understand exactly what a caregiver does and how to act professionally in every home you enter.
Help with Daily Tasks: Learn how to safely and respectfully help people with activities like walking, getting dressed, bathing, and grooming, while protecting their dignity.
Specialized Personal Care: Get comfortable assisting with things like toileting, basic face/hand/foot care, and supporting clients who use catheters or ostomies.
Kind Communication: Develop strong skills to connect clearly and compassionately with the people you care for and their families.
Respecting Everyone: Learn to understand and respect different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds to provide truly inclusive care.
Health & Safety Basics: Get essential knowledge on nutrition, light cleaning, simple health-related tasks, and what to do in an emergency.
Making Life Better: Find practical ways to support independence and help create a comfortable, safe, and welcoming home environment.
After you finish the online modules, you’ll come to our office for a crucial hands-on skills validation session.
A certified nurse from Clare Senior Care will watch you practice and demonstrate the skills you learned. Once they confirm you can safely and correctly perform these tasks, you’ll be officially ready to start your career with confidence!
Modules:
This training helps informal caregivers provide high-quality, compassionate support while also giving them recognition for their valuable role.
Modules:
This training is an excellent starting point for those considering a career in caregiving or wanting to make a difference as a volunteer.
At Clare, we are committed to preparing community members for successful, rewarding careers in caregiving. Our In-Person Training Program is designed to give you the tools you need to succeed.
Here’s what you’ll get:
This program doesn’t just give you training — it provides a pathway to meaningful employment where you can truly make a difference in people’s lives.
PHCAST provides courses for individuals interested in becoming Homemakers or Personal Care Homemakers. For either of these roles, you have three course options. Please select the course that aligns best with your career aspirations.
Every course is offered in eight languages: English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Cantonese, Russian, and Vietnamese. Please enroll in only one course. Regardless of which option you choose, all the following courses cover the same core content:
New Professionals: Choose this course if you are new to the work of a Homemaker or Personal Care Homemaker. You are required to complete all modules and activities in the order they are presented.
Experienced Professionals: Select this option if you already have experience but wish to acquire new skills or simply refresh your knowledge. This course allows you to skip around and does not require you to take the modules in order.
Informal Caregivers: This course is for you if you currently provide care for family members, friends, or private individuals. Like the Experienced Professionals course, you are free to skip around and do not have to take the modules in order.
The Homemaker and Personal Care Homemaker courses are offered in English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Cantonese, Russian, and Vietnamese. To enroll in a course in one of these languages, you should visit the Massachusetts Home Care Training website. Once there, you can select your preferred language from the available drop-down menu.
To register for any of the courses, go to the Massachusetts Home Care Training website and choose the course that best represents your skills and career goals. Courses in all languages cover the same skills and content.
To start the course:
This is a self-paced course. You can start the course at any time and work at your own pace.
If you would like to enroll in a different PHCAST course, such as the same course in another language or different learning path, go to the Massachusetts Home Care Training website. Select the language and then the course and click on “Enroll”.
Go to PHCAST Instructure. Then click on “Forgot Password?” to reset your password. You will need to enter the email you used to register for the course to be able to reset your password.
Next, go to your email account, open the message from “Executive Office of Aging and Independence” click on the link in the message, and create a new password. Finally, go back to the course login page and log in with your new password.
No! All online PHCAST courses are free for learners and employers who use the training.
Please note: This training is just for individuals who will work in the state of Massachusetts.
Yes, you can do the PHCAST training on any smartphone that has video capabilities. You will need to register and enroll in a course using a computer before you can use the Canvas Student app. The Canvas Student app is available in the App Store for both Apple and Android devices. Once you enroll in the course, you can access the course from your phone.
Apple: Download iPhone App for Apple iphones.
Android: Download Android App for Android phones.
This video shows how to use the Canvas Student app to link to your PHCAST course online. Disregard the first section and look for the QR code portion of each video that shows how you can link the app to your course.
As you complete each course page or activity, a green check mark will appear next to that item on the main course page. Use these check marks to track what you have completed.
The knowledge-check quizzes and activities are not graded. Therefore, you will see a score of 0/0. Only the end-of-module assessments are graded. You must receive a minimum score of 80% on each of the end-of-module assessments to earn a Certificate of Completion.
Yes, there are knowledge check activities throughout the course and assessments at the end of each module. You are allowed three attempts for each of these activities and assessments. The only activity you cannot retake is the demographic survey. If you submit this without completing it, pleases contact phcast@umb.edu.
The dashboard is where your course, your transcripts, and your certificate will be available. Go to PHCAST Online Course Dashboard and then click on “Dashboard” to see the content.
Once you complete the course requirements, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate will be sent to the email address you used to register for the course, and you can also print it from the course dashboard. You can access your certificate from the course dashboard.
Yes. Go to the PHCAST Online Course Dashboard to log in to the dashboard. You will see the certificate for each course you have completed. For more information about the certificate and dashboard, visit the webpage, How to View the Certificate of Completion.
To change the name on your certificate, follow these steps:
No, there is not an end-of-course test. Instead, there is an end-of-module assessment at the end of each module. You must complete the end-of-module assessment with a score of at least 80% to pass each module and receive a certificate.
You can send a message directly through the course platform. Someone will respond within 36 hours. Click on “Help” on the upper left menu and then click on “Ask Your Instructor a Question” to get help.
Through strong community partnerships, Clare will connect you with computer training programs that help you build the digital skills you need to thrive in today’s world.
At Clare, we’re committed to helping you grow. Join our weekly hands-on, in-person classes to keep building your computer skills and confidence.
During the training, you’ll enjoy:
This program helps you grow your computer skills, strengthen your confidence, and open doors to future opportunities — all while becoming better prepared to help others.
Success doesn’t have to cost your well-being.
You can make meaningful progress without running yourself into the ground.
If you often feel like you’re constantly working but not truly moving forward, it’s time to pause and reconsider your approach.
Being “busy” isn’t the same as being effective. In fact, staying in motion without clear direction often leads to burnout, not breakthrough.
The key? Do less — but do it better.
Start by applying the 80/20 principle:
Roughly 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. The challenge is learning to identify those high-impact actions and consistently invest in them.
Here are practical ways to realign your energy, time, and focus:
• Choose 2–3 tasks each morning that truly move the needle
• Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to filter what’s urgent vs. important
• Meal prep simple, nutritious food weekly
• Treat exercise like a commitment, not a luxury
• Prioritize sleep as a non-negotiable foundation of productivity
• Track your time using tools like Toggl or Clockify
• Use time-blocking to carve out deep focus sessions, instead of multitasking
• Automate routines—mornings, evenings, meals, etc.
• Use frameworks like SWOT to guide bigger life or career decisions
• Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
• Revisit goals monthly—refine based on experience and evolving priorities
• Protect your peace by setting healthy boundaries
• Surround yourself with mentors, peers, and communities that inspire growth
• Dedicate 20–30 minutes a day to read, reflect, or build a skill
• Keep a “growth log” to capture insights and apply what you’ve learned
• Schedule monthly check-ins to assess and adjust
• Celebrate small wins—because consistency beats intensity over time
It’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing what matters—and doing it well.
And sometimes, the first step toward a better life is simply saying yes to a new opportunity.
We believe that real change begins with the courage to take the first step. Our Workforce Development Apprenticeship Program is more than just training — it’s a pathway to personal growth, financial independence, and meaningful impact in your community.
Remember, success doesn’t come to you. you go to it.
By joining our program, you’ll gain valuable skills, earn while you learn, and open doors to a rewarding career helping others live healthier, happier lives.
Don’t wait for opportunity to knock — create your own future today.
Take the step. Join Clare Senior Care’s Apprenticeship Program and make a difference that matters.