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VICTORIA - 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.

Quick Facts:

Since 2001...

• The Province has provided approximately $1.2 billion in health-related post-secondary funding to institutions throughout the province.
• The number of nursing spaces has more than doubled by adding over 4,450 spaces, resulting in over 20,000 credentials being awarded.
• The provincial government has funded more than 880 health-care assistant spaces throughout B.C.
• 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: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/studentaidbc.

Contact:

Joanne Whittier
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400