The College of New Caledonia has received funding to create a pharmacy technician program and expand its medical laboratory technologist program by 50 per cent.
The B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training and Ministry of Health announced the funding on Tuesday, as part of $12.2 million announced to create 322 more allied health training seats at post-secondary schools throughout B.C.
“Selkirk and CNC will deliver (the pharmacy technician) program jointly. The first intake will begin in August 2023 and graduate in October 2024. Selkirk will deliver the theory portion of the program, while CNC will deliver laboratory and clinical components,” a spokesperson for the college said in an email. “This will be the first offering of its kind at a publicly funded post-secondary institution in northern B.C.”
In addition, the funding will allow the college to expand its medical laboratory technologist program from 24 students to 36 students per intake, starting in January 2023.
With the addition of the pharmacy technician program, CNC will now offer training in nine health science fields: dental assisting, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography, health care assistant, medical laboratory technology science, medical radiologic technology, pharmacy technician, practical nursing and the Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate Nursing program.
"Building up and supporting our health workforce is our biggest priority," Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement issued on Tuesday. "Our communities have been telling us how important the need for more health services is, and we are listening. You are heard. That's why we're supporting public post-secondary institutions to expand and create pathways to get more health workers into the system.”
In addition to the funding for new health training positions, the province announced $10 million in bursaries and professional development funds to help train, retain and support health care workers. That funding includes $4.5 million in bursaries for internationally-educated professionals in high-priority allied health areas who want to work in B.C., $3 million in professional development funding for Health Science Professional Bargaining Association members to upgrade their training, $2.5 million in one-time funding for health authority employees completing their training in MRI technology at BCIT and $1.5 million support 36 Facilities Bargaining Association employees to become medical laboratory assistants to meet critical shortages.
"Expanding training and preparing a new generation of health-care workers is essential to our health-care system and people's well-being," Advanced Education Minister Anne Kang said in a statement issued on Tuesday. "By investing in health programs and training-related equipment and space, we are training the passionate health professionals of tomorrow."
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