Three Westman communities have been selected to host ACC’s health care aide course.

Assiniboine Community College on Wednesday announced the next community sites to host the college’s rural rotating Comprehensive Health Care Aide (CHCA) program:

 

• Reston,

• Birtle Collegiate in Birtle,

• Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Brandon

 

The certificate program will commence in all three sites on September 11, each with capacity for 22 students. “We are pleased to work with these communities, schools and Prairie Mountain Health to deliver this important program to students who may benefit from the access to training close to home,” said Mark Frison, President at Assiniboine.

“The demand for skilled health care aides is high. We know this program will be able to help support this need in the province, while providing terrific career pathways for individuals to pursue.”

Hosting the course is a real benefit to the communities and several have had the opportunity to host ACC programs. ““The RM of Pipestone greatly appreciated and would like to thank ACC for working in conjunction with the RM in arranging a CHCA program to be run in Reston. It is a much-needed program to alleviate the shortage of Health Care Aides especially in Rural Manitoba,” said Archie McPherson, Reeve of the R.M. of Pipestone.

The college connects with community and Regional Health Authority stakeholders regularly regarding requests for CHCA programs. The community sites announced today are a result of these consultations.

 

“The students and staff of Crocus Plains are very excited to host the CHCA program for the 2023-2024 school year. Our grade 12 students are grateful for the opportunity to receive this education and training that will prepare them for a rewarding career in health care. It is so valuable that our community stakeholders are working together to meet the overwhelming demands for high quality employees. Our previous graduates have done very well in their careers after receiving this training and graduating both high school and college simultaneously. We thank ACC and BSD for their continued support,” said Veronica Robinson, Vice Principal of Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School.

The CHCA program teaches graduates practical skills to care for patients and to communicate in a clinical setting, while also learning how to help patients with their well-being and managing their health care environment. The college has a proven track record of delivering highly successful CHCA programs in other communities through the use of rural rotating sites, such as Souris, Carberry, Glenboro, St Pierre, St Malo, Crystal City, Virden, and a variety of First Nation communities.