Thompson Rivers University is getting about three quarters of a million dollars from the province to increase the number of health-care assistants it can train this year.
It is part of an $8.4-million investment from the province, through the Health Career Access Program, to train those caring for our seniors.
Speaking on NL Newsday, Associate Dean of Nursing Tracy Hoot says that will add 102 spots in the program. “Typically for TRU in the school we have, so for Kamloops we have two intakes of 30 in September and January and in Williams Lake we have an intake of 18. But I have to say that every year I say what our typical intake is but we go beyond that because the ministry recognizes the need and it sort of allots us some additional one time funding where we can increase the seats. So of course we’re graduating more than what was always intended. So instead of having 60 graduates in one year we could potentially have 80 or 90 because of all the additional funding just in Kamloops.”
Hoot says the bonus of this program is that they will be working while they learn. “One of the proposals I put forward, students would be full-time employees meaning they would work for a chunk of time at the facility that they’re employed at, then come to TRU take two courses for about six weeks and they would go back to their employer. And they would do that, back and forth, until they finished the program.”
“Students typically, when they come into a program, they have a program of study that they complete and then go into the work force. Well they’re starting in the work force and then coming to TRU. So they’re going to be learning the skills that they will be then applying in these facilities.”
Hoot says so far the only conversation she has had about who will be benefiting is with Interior Health, but notes she has meetings planned for this week where discussions will include when the private sector can begin inquiring about the additional seats.
Hoot adds that there is some flexibility with regards to the timing. “So initially when I was looking at when we could accommodate all these extra students I was looking at bringing students in February and March, but it looks like we may be rolling out in Williams lake in June and then in Kamloops probably I would say March.”
