Lethbridge College’s Health Care Aide program expands to meet market demand

To meet industry demand, Lethbridge College is expanding available seats in one of health care’s fastest-growing professions. The Health Care Aide certificate program will increase the number of available seats from 24 to 30 and will also add a new part-time online cohort for 16 students.

“The industry is changing. Health care aides are increasingly being incorporated into the healthcare models within our acute-care, long-term and assisted-living facilities,” says Karla Wolsky, chair, Schools of Health Sciences and Allied Health. “Health care aides have traditionally been employed in long-term care facilities and home care, but now we are seeing them establish themselves in acute care such as emergency rooms, intensive cares and other hospital settings.”

According to facts provided by Alberta Health Services there are over 6,800 health care aides employed in Alberta, making it the second largest health-related field and largest continuing care profession in the province. This group is expected to experience above-average annual growth, resulting in many new positions being created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover and retirement

Two factors led to the decision to add the new seats: the popularity of the Health Care Aide program among prospective students and a strong demand from employers. The online offering will provide the same benefits as the traditional program, while giving rural learners and those unable to attend full-time classroom studies a chance to continue their studies.

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