Future health professionals in the Lower Mainland will benefit from additional student spaces at Vancouver Community College to get advanced training for health-care assistants to provide the high-quality health care B.C. families deserve.

The B.C. government is providing $102,000 in one-time funding to the college for 13 part-time student spaces at the Broadway campus for acute care skills training. This post-certificate program teaches skills to help health-care assistants work in acute-care units in hospitals and with patients that are in the post-acute care phase. Health-care assistants provide frontline 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 across British Columbia by ensuring students in the health-care professions have the skills and training they need to succeed in the future.

Quotes:

Mary McNeil, MLA for Vancouver-False Creek -

"As Canada's boomer generation ages, caring for them will put even more pressure on our health-care system. This investment in student spaces at Vancouver Community College will ensure we are better equipped to meet the increasing needs of our aging population."

Kathy Kinloch, president, Vancouver Community College -

"Students in the VCC health-care assistant program go on to become valuable contributors to the health-care field in British Columbia. This additional funding will enable VCC to provide relevant, high-quality education to more health-care assistants who wish to enhance their skills in acute care."

Learn More:

To learn more about Vancouver Community College, visit: http://www.vcc.ca/

Contact:

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