WHA’s 20th annual report finds the health care workforce vacancy rates that skyrocketed between 2021 and 2022 are stabilizing, but still critical, in 2023. With vacancy rates for 8 of 18 health care professions still in double digits, and growth in Wisconsin’s nursing workforce lagging behind the growth needed to meet current and future demand, the report emphasizes the need to promote interest in health professions, make sure classroom seats are available and expand career pathway options to grow Wisconsin’s health care workforce. 

The 2024 WHA workforce report highlights the clearly defined, accessible and satisfying career pathways that provide health care a much-needed advantage over other industries. In February 2024 WHA and the WHA Foundation launched a digital media campaign and a hospital career exploration website, So Many Options, to share the wide range of work and career opportunities hospitals and health systems can provide.

As the state’s health care industry seeks to attract new workers and build new capacity from within, it must also adapt to the expectations of a multi-generational workforce, and WHA asks for the partnership of policymakers, educators, employers and health care professionals in developing sustainable solutions.