Sixteen more students in Masset will be able to get the education and skills to pursue a fulfilling and in-demand career as health-care assistants, with the expansion of the program at Northwest Community College (NWCC).

“Expanding programs to give more people access to quality education is so important to ensure our communities flourish,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. “Investing in training more health-care assistants in Masset helps students gain the skills they need to support their families and community members.”

Northwest Community College will receive $160,000 from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training to add seats to its health-care assistant program beginning September 2018. This funding helps students get the skills they need to embark on their career path, and also improves access to health-care services by increasing the number of skilled workers in the province who can deliver health care to everyone who needs it.

“Ensuring care givers get the skills and training they need is vital for our region,” said Pouyan Mahboubi, NWCC dean of instruction and health services. “Our college is excited about delivering its health-care assistant program and having graduates contribute to the quality of life in the local community.”

This one-time funding is part of a larger provincial investment to boost the number of health-care assistants throughout the province. The total funding of nearly $1 million will help approximately 100 students get the skills and education they need to build rewarding careers in the health-care field.

“Health-care assistants help support quality health care in our communities,” said Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast. “We know that training people in the North for jobs in the North is the best way to ensure sustainability of the rural workforce and continuity of care for patients and seniors in our communities.”

Along B.C.’s coast, there will be an expected 3,870 job openings by 2027 for health-care assistants and related professions. Due to the increase in British Columbia’s aging population, the health-care and social assistance sectors will have some of the most career opportunities, with 142,500 job openings within the next decade.

Through Budget 2018, a total of $548 million over three years is provided to improve care for seniors, including investments in primary care, home and community care, residential care and assisted living. The Ministry of Health is working with health authorities to increase staffing levels in residential care homes. Health authorities are working to convert more health-care assistants, who are working part-time and casual, to full-time. 

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For more information on the Labour Market Outlook, please visit: https://www.workbc.ca/getmedia/66fd0e7c-734e-4fcb-b1a6-0454862525a6/BC_Labour_Market_Outlook_2017_Edition_Nov_2017.PDF.aspx