Advance Your Senior Living Career with Director Certifications

Workforce development has been identified by Argentum as a key imperative critical to the future of the senior living industry. With the growing need for highly skilled, dedicated workers, it is more important than ever to offer essential training and professional development programs to both retain and cultivate staff throughout senior living. The Senior Living Certification Commission (SLCC), a non-profit organization governed by industry leaders, is committed to identifying professional development initiatives and has established an Executive Director Certification program for leaders in the industry.

The SLCC’s Executive Director Certification demonstrates a commitment to quality standards and elevates a senior living leader’s skills, providing peace of mind to residents and family members. Achieving certification promotes professionalism, validates knowledge and competency, and separates a brand and a leader from the competition.

Benefits of Certification

The Public – Certification services as a mechanism to demonstrate competence in a job role. Professionals who hold credentials increase public confidence.

The Professional – Credentials demonstrate commitment to a chosen career and to lifelong learning. Earning a certification sets professionals apart in competitive job markets. Credentials are portable, opening professional career and development opportunities.

The Employer – Credentialing provides employers with a tool to validate knowledge and skill level. Employers who embrace and support certification are often better positioned to thrive in a highly competitive market. Employer support of certification helps individuals meet their personal and professional goals, producing engaged and satisfied employees. Job satisfaction and employee retention are often higher with organizations that support certification.

This September, the SLCC will begin offering certification exams with testing sites located in all 50 states. In addition to passing the exam, initial certification requirements also include:

• A Bachelor’s degree granted by a college or university that is accredited by an entity approved by the United States Department of Education, or the equivalent, and
• At least three years (6,000 hours) work experience as an executive director of a licensed assisted living community OR five years (10,000 hours) work experience in a management capacity in one or more licensed assisted living communities.

--Or

• At least five years (10,000 hours) work experience as an executive director of a licensed assisted living community OR seven years (14,000 hours) work experience in a management capacity in one or more licensed assisted living communities.

Application for certification opens July 18 and the deadline to apply to sit for the September exam is August 1. More information about the Executive Director certification exam is available on Argentum’s website.