FORT ST. JOHN – The Province of British Columbia is investing $48,000 at
Northern Lights College to expand its Health Care Assistant program,
announced Pat Pimm, MLA for Peace River North.
“This is exciting news for Fort St. John and Dawson Creek. Students who study in rural communities are more likely to start their careers in those communities,” said Pimm. “We are helping to build a strong northern health care sector by supporting health education programs like this one at Northern Lights College.”
This one-time funding will support six additional spaces in the health care assistant programs at Northern Lights College’s Fort St. John and Dawson Creek campuses in 2010-11. Health care assistant graduates will provide health care in a variety of institutional and community settings, including both home support agencies and residential care facilities.
“We know how important it is to ensure B.C. students have better access and a wide variety of choice in pursuit of post-secondary education,” said Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development. “These new spaces will help our students achieve their educational goals and provide them with the post-secondary education and skills training they need to succeed.”
Health care assistant graduates are trained to provide care that promotes and maintains the physical, emotional, cognitive and social wellbeing of clients.
“Health sciences are an important programming area at Northern Lights College, and the college is pleased to receive this financial support from the Province allowing the health care assistant program to be accessible at two campuses – Dawson Creek and Fort St. John,” said Craig Herbert, Northern Lights College vice-president education. “Health care assistants are needed in our communities and this investment will assist in educating and training our community members to fill these important positions in the health care system.”
Northern Lights College’s provincial funding is part of almost $1.7 million provided to six public post-secondary institutions in urban and rural communities across B.C. for 210 new student spaces to train practical nurses, health care assistants and medical office assistants.
Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $937 million in health-related operating and capital funding at post-secondary institutions across B.C.