Future health professionals on southern Vancouver Island will benefit from an additional 64 student spaces at Camosun College to get the training they need as health care assistants to provide the high-quality health care B.C. families deserve.

The B.C. government is providing $506,100 in one-time funding to Camosun College for 32 full-time spaces and 32 part-time spaces in the health care assistant program for 2012-13. Health care assistant graduates provide front-line care in a variety of institutional and community settings, including both home support agencies and residential care facilities.

This funding is part of an almost $2.4 million investment to support an additional 261 students in health-care programs at nine colleges, universities and institutions in the province.

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 by ensuring students in the health-care professions have the skills and training they need to succeed in the future.

Quotes:

Minister of Advanced Education Naomi Yamamoto -

"It's important that we continue to support programs across B.C. to train health-care professionals. We're committed to ensuring we have skilled workers to provide quality health care for B.C. families."

Ida Chong, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head -

"Camosun College continues to play an integral role in training health-care professionals who can deliver the quality of care we have come to expect."

"Training Island students close to where they live, means they are more likely to stay in their communities to pursue rewarding careers delivering the health care Island families need."

Kathryn Laurin, president, Camosun College -

"Programs like the health care assistant ultimately look at using the right skill set at the right time in relation to patient care. It supports a cost-effective approach to health care."

Quick Facts:

• In the Victoria region, the B.C. government has invested approximately $73.6 million in operating and capital health-related post-secondary funding since 2001.
• 204 new health care assistant spaces have been funded to train home support workers and resident care attendants.
• The B.C. government has funded 900 health care assistant spaces throughout B.C. since 2001.

Learn More:

To learn more about Camosun College, visit: http://www.camosun.ca/

Contact:

Dan Gilmore
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400