Program Overview
With funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement, BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) will be training health care assistants in Kelowna, Nanaimo, Parksville, South Okanagan and West Kootenays regions. Students enrolled in the program will receive skills training by way of the provincially approved curriculum for health care assistants, delivered in partnership with Discovery Community College.
In partnership with the Community Workforce Response Grant (CWRG), BCCPA will cover the entire cost of tuition for participants, as well as provide additional training supports.
Program participants will receive skills training by way of the provincially approved curriculum for HCAs. The program will be delivered over the course of 38 weeks, including 21 weeks for classroom theory and lab skills hours and 12 weeks for practice education. Training will be delivered three days a week for the classroom theory portion of the program, with varying clinical practice schedules. In total, the entire program consists of 780 hours of training.
BCCPA has gained strong support for this initiative from several employers in each region. All participating employers have part-time or full-time positions available in their organizations. Following the completion of the skills training program, BCCPA will host a hiring fair and job connections for participating employers and program graduates.
Eligibility Criteria
Participants must:
- currently reside in B.C.;
- be 16 years of age or older;
- be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons entitled to work in Canada;
- be in possession of a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN);
- be unemployed, or employed part-time*, seasonally, casually, or precariously**;
- have not participated in any other CWRG funded training projects in the last 12 months or be currently enrolled in any other federally or provincially funded training programs at the start of the project;
*Part-time is defined as those employed 30 hours or less per week.
**Precariously is defined as those who are employed but at risk of losing a job and in need of training for a new job.
Discovery Community College Admissions Prerequisites
The above are the minimum grant eligibility requirements potential participants must meet before moving forward with the application process.
Additional admission requirements are set by Discovery Community College in line with their standard admission prerequisites, including:
- Grade 12 graduation or mature student status (19+)
- Meet English language competency requirements:
- Proof of completion of Grade 10 English or higher for native speakers
- Proof of standardized English language assessment test for non-native speakers
For General College Admissions Enquiries:
Phone: 1-877-315-5241
Email: jennyfer.guzman@discoverycollege.ca
How to Apply
If you meet the minimum CWRG eligibility & Discovery Community College admissions requirements, please complete BCCPA’s intake request form below to apply.
Key Dates
Pre-screening/interviews: Beginning September 2022
Skills training dates:
- Kelowna: November 28, 2022 – August 25, 2023 (New date!)
- Nanaimo & Parksville: November 30, 2022 – August 25, 2023
- South Okanagan & West Kootenays: December 14, 2022 – September 8, 2023 (New date!)
Hiring fair: Held post-program completion.
Information Session
Click here to view a copy of the info session slides.
