OUR FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE Welcome to the winter edition of Ascend – our quarterly look at important labour market themes in our region. In this issue, we are focusing on a vital sector that has experienced significant pressures over the past couple of years – health care. The B.C. Government released their latest Labour Market Outlook (LMO) on February 7, along with a variety of resources and tools to help predict the future of work in our province. The LMO forecasts more than one million job openings into the next decade, creating incentive for students and jobseekers alike to develop their skills for future careers. The High Opportunity Occupations search tool, which lists occupations expected to offer the best opportunities over the next 10 years, indicates there will be a need for 490 Health Care Assistants (HCAs), 130 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and 345 Registered Nurses (RNs) by 2029 – in the Kootenay region alone. An estimated 65 Dental Assistant openings are also expected in our region along with 53 physiotherapists and 27 chiropractors, careers that can be accessed via a Kinesiology pathway.
College of the Rockies is working to address the need for health care workers in our region by offering a mix of health science programs, along with innovative programs like Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in which College of the Rockies students complete their nursing training in Cranbrook and graduate with a University of Victoria nursing degree. We are also looking at how to support future growth, make further investments, and provide opportunities for innovation in health sciences so we can welcome even more students. I hope you find the information in this edition of Ascend valuable. Please reach out to me at ascend@cotr.bc.ca with any questions and observations.
Kind regards,
Paul Vogt, President and CEO
INTERIOR HEALTH PRIORITY PROFESSIONS Nurse Practitioner Health Care Assistant Mental Health Nurse RN - Emergency RN - Perioperative LPN - Orthopaedic Technician y RN - Critical Care
y y y y y y
y Occupational Therapist y Physiotherapist
We’re Small College Proud! Small class sizes mean students benefit from personalized instruction. Our programs include up-to-date technology, including simulation technology, and rural practice placements prepare students to excel in OUR region.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING Annual Provincial Median Salary
$83,466
10-Year Expected Job Openings in BC
19,580
As the population grows and ages, the demand for nurses is rising in BC. Canadian credentials for registered nurses (RNs) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) are also accepted around the world.
PRACTICAL NURSING PRACTICAL NURSING Annual Provincial Median Salary
$58,397
10-Year Expected Job Openings in BC
19,580
BC faces a shortage of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and too few new graduates to fill the demand. As the province’s population grows and ages, this demand is increasing.
• Is offered in partnership with the University of Victoria
In recent years, the scope of an LPN’s duties has expanded, now including such areas as mental health, community, and pharmacology studies.
• Can be fully completed at the Cranbrook campus.
College of the Rockies’ PN program:
College of the Rockies’ BSN program:
• Students gain a rural health perspective through practicum placements at local and regional hospitals, health care agencies, and community partners.
• Two-year program offered at the Cranbrook campus. • Prepares students to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration exam and register with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. • Accepts up to 32 students each year.
“The College has an amazing program with incredible instructors. I was able to meet new friends and build lasting relationships with classmates, instructors, and others attending and working at the College. I loved my time there.” -Sara Amy, Dental Assistant Alumni
DENTAL ASSISTANT DENTAL ASSISTANT Annual Provincial Median Salary
$54,266
10-Year Expected Job Openings in BC
6,630
Demand for dental assistants is expected to remain strong as BC’s population grows, as people become more aware of good dental hygiene, and as they keep their natural teeth longer. Demand for cosmetic dental work, such as laser whitening and caps, is also growing. College of the Rockies’ Dental Assistant program: •
10-month program held at the Cranbrook campus, prepares students to write the National Dental Assisting Examining Board exam and to register with the College of Dental Surgeons of BC.
•
Spring Preventative Clinic sees over 300 patients each year, providing inexpensive screening appointments to the community and hands-on experience in the College’s dental lab. Practical experiences in a dental clinic provide additional real-world experience.
• Accepts 26 students each year. * HCAs and Dental Assistants are in demand in the East Kootenay and earn a higher-than-average hourly wage. Source: EMSI, 2021.1
HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT
“I’m so grateful for the amazing experiences that College of the Rockies provided me. They led me to pursue my dream of becoming a public health professional so I can contribute to the health and wellbeing of my community,
HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT Annual Provincial Median Salary
10-Year Expected Job Openings in BC
$40,794
6,630
and maybe someday - the world.” - Chelsea Fiorentino, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Elderly people often don’t need the full services of a hospital but need support to stay in their homes. People with complex health issues can also often be better treated at home, and with portable medical equipment made for in-home use, this is becoming more possible. These changes are creating an increased demand for Health Care Assistants in our province, and region. College of the Rockies’ HCA program: • 27-week program offered at the Cranbrook campus as well as, rotationally, at regional campuses • Includes 9 weeks of hands-on supervised practical experience. • Accepted 73 students in 2021 at the Cranbrook and Golden campuses.
KINESIOLOGY CAREER OPTIONS FOR KINESIOLOGY STUDENTS Massage Therapist
Annual provincial median salary: $41,712 10-year expected job openings: 2,300
Coach
Annual provincial median salary: $50,054
Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists Annual provincial median salary: $83,000 10-year expected job openings: 1,870 (PT), 940 (OT)
10-year expected job openings: 930
For those passionate about exercise, sport, health, and human movement, Kinesiology provides a pathway to a multitude of rewarding career options.
COLLEGE OF THE ROCKIES
College of the Rockies’ Kinesiology program:
Sub-total raised for the Dean’s Health Education Technology Fund
• One-year certificate or two-year diploma available at the Cranbrook campus. •
Diploma students are eligible for Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) Personal Training certification at the end of their second year - a year ahead of students at many other institutions.
• Program transfers to many degree programs in BC and across Canada.
$6,442
GIVING TUESDAY
2021 RESULTS
MATCHED BY THE COLLEGE
$6,442
“The College’s program was a good test to see if kinesiology and physical therapy were the route I wanted to go. It was there that I grew to know for sure that this was the field for me.” - Andrea Gris Kinesiology Alumni
READY. SET. FOR CHANGE.
GO.
FOR SUCCESS. FORWARD TOGETHER.
Health care workers have been vital through the pandemic and will continue to be in demand. College of the Rockies provides training for RNs, LPNs, Dental Assistants, Health Care Assistants, and Kinesiologists.
A rural teaching perspective combined with local practical experiences mean our graduates are prepared to work in our region.
TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT College of the Rockies serves the communities of the East Kootenays. All of the College’s
We partner with local industry and clinics to provide needed training and to create valuable practicum opportunities.
campuses are located in the
We provide training for the health care leaders of the future.
Ktunaxa and one is Shuswap.
traditional territory of the Ktunaxa people which is also home to the Kinbasket people. Five First Nations bands are located in the regional boundary of the College: Four of which are Additionally, the College partners with the Kootenay Regional Office of the Métis Nation, BC. We are thankful for all our Indigenous
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partners and are constantly seeking new ways to support the development of our community.
Cranbrook Campus Phone: 250-489-8242 Email: cranbrookce@cotr.bc.ca
Fernie Campus Phone: 250-423-4691 email: fernie@cotr.bc.ca
Kimberley Campus Phone: 250-427-7116 x3752 Email: kimberley@cotr.bc.ca
Cranbrook Gold Creek Campus Phone: 250-489-8242 Email: cranbrookce@cotr.bc.ca
Golden Campus Phone: 250-344-5901 Email: golden@cotr.bc.ca
cotr.ca
Creston Campus Phone: 250-428-5332 email: creston@cotr.bc.ca
Invermere Campus Phone: 250-342-3210 Email: invermere@cotr.bc.ca