For Grade 11 and 12 students interested in a health care-related career, there is a direct path from high school to full time employment in rural Saskatchewan. A team of provincial institutions has come together to help learners connect the dots and get a jump-start on their post-secondary education while in high school.
Great Plains College, Heartland Health Region, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Sun West Distance Learning Centre (DLC) have recently signed a memorandum of understanding to collaboratively educate families about the dual credit courses available to high school students.
There is particular emphasis on dual credits that relate to the Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) certificate program. Learners who complete CCA dual credit courses and are enthusiastic about continuing down the career path, they will have readily available information on CCA post-secondary programs and employment opportunities in this field.
“The notion of a dual credit is still relatively unknown in Saskatchewan and we want to educate families about what they are and the opportunities they provide,” said Aaron Biberdorf, vice principal of the DLC. Although developed and instructed by post-secondary institutions, these courses are intended for high school students. They are delivered online, typically involve a heavier work load and are held to a higher level of assessment than a typical high school course.
In return for their extra effort, students have an opportunity to thoroughly explore a career path while simultaneously earning credit at both the high school and post-secondary level. Four of the twelve courses — Body Systems, Human Growth and Development, Personal Competence, and Interpersonal Communication Skills — included in the CCA certificate program are offered as dual credit. This provides students with the opportunity to graduate high school with one-third of their post-secondary education complete.
“Dual credit courses allow students interested in becoming a Continuing Care Assistant to either fast-track their career plans or explore the field as a career path before finalizing their post-secondary plans,” said Dr. Anne Neufeld, Saskatchewan Polytechnic Provost and vice-president of academic. “Both scenarios contribute to a more efficient use of students’ time and will give employers earlier access to grads. Students can continue their Continuing Care Assistant studies at Saskatchewan Polytechnic or at a regional college.”
For Heartland Health Region, which hires approximately 60 CCAs each year, building bridges and streamlining opportunities for high school students makes perfect sense. “Dual credit courses provide an excellent introduction of health care concepts. We believe that exposing young learners to this intensive educational experience will translate to a prospective labor pool that is better prepared to take on their first CCA role,” said Brenda Scholer, director of Human Resources of Heartland Health Region. For more information on the four partners involved, residents can visit their respective websites.
