Additional health-care seats are being offered through one-time funding of $111,000 to students in Prince George as they train to help meet an increased demand for health care in the region.

The Justice Institute of British Columbia and the College of New Caledonia (CNC) will receive joint funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education for a total of seven additional full-time equivalent (FTE) seats (16 students) in the emergency medical responder and industrial medic training program that will be taught at the CNC Prince George campus. This program focuses on building the skills needed to respond to trauma and medical emergencies and offers a number of study options, including regular and fast-paced courses, and online and classroom learning.  The scheduled start date for the program is June 2017.

The health sector is one of the fastest growing fields in British Columbia and is part of a diverse, strong and growing economy. According to the 2025 B.C. Labour Market Outlook, the health sector employed 227,000 workers in 2015 and employment has grown at an average rate of 3.2% each year over the past decade.

Government is providing more than $1 million this year in one-time funding to support an additional 133 FTE seats at 11 post-secondary institutions throughout B.C.

Since 2008, the Province has provided annual one-time funding for additional education seats in health programs. Funding to date totals more than $16 million and has created almost 2,000 FTE seats.

Funding for health-care training is one of the key ways the B.C. government is taking action to strengthen, grow and diversify rural communities. Targeted health-care funding builds on the immediate investments and long-term action plan outlined in B.C.’s Rural Economic Development Strategy that are expected to create over 26,000 jobs and add $2.8 billion to provincial GDP.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount –

“It is critical that we continue to add additional capacity and opportunities for northern students who want to study closer to home. This partnership between CNC and the Justice Institute of British Columbia will mean that important health-care training will be available on the CNC campus this year.”

Mike Morris, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie –

“One-time funding of $111,000 will support students in the emergency medical responder and industrial medic training program as they prepare for careers as front-line health workers. Our government is aligning funding with education and training to meet the demand for health services in all B.C. communities.”

Henry Reiser, president, College of New Caledonia –

“The College of New Caledonia is pleased to partner with the Justice Institute of British Columbia to deliver this program. CNC remains dedicated to training health-care professionals throughout Northern B.C. allowing students to remain close to home, and in turn, care for their community members once trained.”

Michel Tarko, president and CEO, Justice Institute of British Columbia –

“We are pleased to receive this funding to bring our emergency medical responder and industrial medic training program to residents of Prince George and the Northern interior. Teaching people in smaller centres the skills to provide care in their home communities, will only strengthen the health-care system as a whole and encourage students to further their education and advance their training.”

Learn More:

B.C. Rural Economic Development Strategy: https://bcjobsplan.gov.bc.ca/b-c-s-rural-economic-development-strategy/

2025 B.C. Labour Market Outlook: https://www.workbc.ca/getmedia/00de3b15-0551-4f70-9e6b-23ffb6c9cb86/LabourMarketOutlook.aspx

College of New Caledonia: http://www.cnc.bc.ca/

Justice Institute of British Columbia: http://www.jibc.ca/