August 24, 2011 - 4:22am
Future health professionals across the province will benefit from an additional 188 student spaces to get the training they need as nurses, health-care assistants and pharmacy technicians to provide the high-quality health care B.C. families deserve.
One-time funding to improve access to health-education programs helps to meet immediate and projected employment needs in the health-care field throughout the province. B.C.’s post-secondary system is helping to provide faster, safer and better health care for individuals and families across British Columbia by ensuring students in the health-care professions have the skills and training they need to succeed in the future.
The B.C. government is providing almost $1.5 million in one-time funding to support the expanded delivery of nine health-care programs at six colleges and universities in the province, including:
Camosun College, Victoria – for 32 full-time spaces and 32 part-time spaces in the health care assistant program.
College of the Rockies, Cranbrook – for 20 practical nursing spaces.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey – for 35 internationally educated graduate nurse re-entry spaces.
Northern Lights College, Chetwynd – for five health-care assistant spaces and in Fort St. John for two practical nursing spaces.
Selkirk College, Castlegar – for 20 online pharmacy technician bridging program spaces and in partnership with
College of the Rockies in Grand Forks and Trail – for 18 health-care assistant spaces.
Vancouver Island University, Duncan – for 24 Aboriginal health-care assistant spaces.
Quotes:
Minister of Advanced Education Naomi Yamamoto –
“It’s important that we continue to support programs across B.C. to train health-care professionals. Our investment underscores our commitment to ensuring all families in B.C. have access to quality health care, because healthy families mean a healthy economy and vibrant and prosperous communities for our province in the years ahead.”
Peter Nunoda, vice-president, education, Northern Lights College –
“Health sciences are an important programming area at Northern Lights College, and the college is pleased to receive this financial support from the Province, making our programs accessible through videoconference to students located at our campuses in Chetwynd and Fort St. John.”
“Health-care professionals are needed throughout northern British Columbia, and this investment assists in educating and training our community members to fill these important positions in the health-care system.”
Barbara Herringer, dean, school of Health and Human services, Camosun College –
“This year we were pleased to receive funds to offer additional intakes in our health-care assistant certificate program. These intakes, in addition to our regular offerings, allow us to educate more students as frontline care providers in long-term care facilities and a variety of community settings.”
“Faculty in this program assist students in acquiring the skills, knowledge and values they need to provide professional care to the elderly and those facing other health or illness challenges.”
Carol Stuart, dean, health and human services, Vancouver Island University –
“The faculty of health and human services at VIU is pleased to receive funding for another offering of the First Nations health-care assistant program at VIU’s new Cowichan campus.”
“The new nursing lab at the campus has allowed us to increase the student spaces available for the health care assistant program. The program will be taking applications through the Cowichan campus immediately.”
Quick Facts:
• Since 2001...
o The Province has provided approximately $1.2 billion in health-related post-secondary funding to institutions throughout the province.
o The number of nursing spaces has more than doubled by adding over 4,450 spaces, resulting in over 20,000 credentials being awarded.
o The provincial government has funded more than 880 health-care assistant spaces throughout B.C.
o The Province has invested more than $2.5 billion in student financial assistance, making post-secondary education more accessible for students across the province.
Learn More:
• For information about student aid programs for post-secondary training, go to:
Tags: In the Community
