Vancouver, BC – February 10, 2026 — Optima Living is pleased to announce that we have been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Employers for Recent Graduates by The Career Directory for the second consecutive year.
Established in 1991, The Career Directory is Canada’s longest-running employment guide for new graduates. Each year, it evaluates thousands of employers nationwide to highlight organizations that provide meaningful early-career opportunities, mentorship, and strong workplace experiences for students and recent graduates.
Optima Living was first recognized as a Top Employer for Recent Graduates in 2025, and this year’s recognition reflects our continued focus on supporting students and new professionals through hands-on experience and highlighting the meaningful career pathways available in seniors living.
“Students and new graduates bring new ways of approaching problems, curiosity and energy to our team,” explains Karim Kassam, Co-Founder and Principal at Optima Living. “We want them to spend their time at Optima gaining meaningful experience, and leave feeling supported, valued, and confident about the career path they’re building.”
Optima Living’s support for young professionals is rooted in our co-op program, launched in 2021. From just one co-op placement in its first year to 36 in 2025 across Western Canada, the program’s growth reflects both the meaningful impact students make through their work and the lasting value Optima Living strives to create for them.
The program has since delivered dozens of Co-op placements across Optima Living’s support offices and functions—from Accounting and HR to Finance and Operations—with many participants transitioning to permanent roles post-graduation. Whether hands-on or behind the scenes, Co-op students gain valuable experience in the senior living industry while helping strengthen the communities Optima Living serves.
“My journey from co-op student to Junior Accountant has been incredibly rewarding,” shared Bella Yang, a junior accountant working out of Optima’s Vancouver support office. “I’m grateful for the guidance and support from my colleagues, which has helped me grow both professionally and personally.”
As Optima continues to grow, its North Star remains unchanged: Let Us Welcome You Home. For students, this means doing meaningful work alongside supportive leaders who provide guidance, mentorship, and the foundation for a strong career path.
“Our co-ops get to work on projects where they get to see an end to an end,” Simran adds. “They add value to our teams. They add value to our work. They add value to our residents. And they add value to the industry in general.”
These outcomes are supported by strong partnerships with leading institutions across North America, such as Alberta Business and Health Institute, BCIT, Bow Valley College, Discovery College, East West College, Gateway College, Harvard University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langara College, Lethbridge Polytechnic, MacEwan University, Medicine Hat College, NorQuest College, Okanagan College, Simon Fraser University, Sprott Shaw College, Stenberg College, Thompson Rivers University, Tufts University, the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Waterloo.
Early-career professionals are encouraged to explore career opportunities with Optima Living and help welcome seniors home each day.
About Optima Living
Founded in 2007 by two friends inspired by a love for seniors and their families’ dementia journeys, Optima Living was created to offer a more home-like experience in seniors housing and care.
What began as a personal mission has grown into one of Western Canada’s leading senior living and continuing care providers, offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Long-Term Care, Brain Health and Memory Care, including Optima’s own proprietary brain health and care model: Spark, Your Wellness, Your Way.
Today, we are the only Top 10 Canadian senior living and care provider focused exclusively on Western Canada, serving 4,300+ residents in Alberta and British Columbia.
Guided by our North Star, Let us welcome you home™, we are committed to People, Place, and Community. With a resident-first philosophy, deep community ties, and a focus on innovation, we are shaping a future defined by integrity, dignity, and empathy.
At Optima Living, senior living is about thriving, not just residing. We’re redefining aging with purpose by creating communities where residents live well with dignity, connection, and joy.
Discover how we are changing the landscape of senior living at https://optimaliving.ca/.
Optima Living: Let us welcome you home™.
Contact:
Katie Matthews
Senior Manager, Communications
Optima Living
T: (236) 988-5883 | E: [email protected]
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