News and Notes: College of the Rockies

Educational partners visit from Tanzania, and a new course offering at both the Invermere and Fernie campuses.

College of the Rockies’ educational partners from Tanzania visited the city recently. — Photo courtesy College of the Rockies

College of the Rockies is offering the Health Care Assistant program at both the Invermere and Fernie campuses for Fall 2018, thanks to $258,000 in one-time funding contributions from the ministries of Health and Advanced Education, Skills and Training.  The province allocated $128,000 for 16 full-time equivalent (FTEs) seats at the Invermere campus and a further $130,000 to support 16 FTEs in Fernie.

Health Care Assistant (HCA) is a 27-week program that provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to provide personal care to individuals in residential care as well as in community settings like home support and assisted living. The program involves both in-class theory and a practicum placement in the field.

“This opportunity to offer the Health Care Assistant program in both Invermere and Fernie could not have come at a better time,” says College President and CEO, David Walls. “With our aging population, there is a high demand for trained Health Care Assistants in our region. Our graduates will be prepared with the skills and knowledge they require to help to meet that need.”

The HCA program is also offered yearly at the Cranbrook campus and at most regional campuses on a rotational basis, this year at the Golden campus. Applications for the Health Care Assistant program are now being accepted. Learn more at: cotr.ca/health

Tanzania representatives visit College of the Rockies 

On May 3rd and 4th, College of the Rockies’ educational partners from Tanzania as well as a representative from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) visited Cranbrook after attending the CICan conference in Victoria. On May 3rd, they were pleased to enjoy coffee with Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka at his constituency office.