If you’re looking for a rewarding, in-demand career that lets you make a difference in your community, a brand new website shares everything you need to know.
Launched this fall by Health Match BC, choose2care.ca is a key component of the province-wide initiative to highlight opportunities for Health Care Assistant professionals, including what you need to know to train, register, and become employed in the field.
Health Care Assistants are front-line care providers who promote and maintain the health, safety, independence, comfort and well-being of individuals and their families, providing personal care assistance and support.
You might work with older adults, people living with disabilities or chronic illnesses, and clients receiving palliative care. You might support clients’ mobility, daily activities and personal care, provide observations and monitoring, complete records, and report changes and unsafe conditions to supervisors, such as a nurse, nurse practitioner or doctor. Other activities under a plan of care might include light housekeeping or social activities, such as reading, playing a game, or accompanying clients on an outing.
Why choose a career as a Health Care Assistant?
1. It’s an in-demand career – WorkBC’s Labour Market Outlook 2018 Edition estimates that 5,980 Health Care Assistant jobs will be created in BC over the next 10 years, numbers supported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which points out that several of today’s fastest-growing professions are in the health care industry. That means that as a health care professional, you’ll have more career opportunities – and find jobs more easily – and enjoy better job stability and security.
2. Competitive earning potential – Due to the high demand, careers in health care are some of the most well-paying options available, and the more training you have and the more highly skilled you are, the higher your pay. Even entry-level health care jobs offer earning and growth potential better than many other fields. According to information from the Health Employers Association of BC, the starting hourly wage of a Health Care Assistant working in a publicly funded setting can range from $21.48 to $24.83, depending on the employment sector. As a full-time or part-time employee, you would have access to a comprehensive benefits package and a benefit pension plan through the Municipal Pension Plan. Most graduates usually start with casual or part-time employment and work up to full-time status gradually.
3. Geographic flexibility – Because almost every region in the province has a strong demand for HCAs, you can live and work almost anywhere in BC once you graduate from a recognized program and register as a Health Care Assistant. Few fields offer such widespread career opportunities as the health care field.
4. Time-efficient training – While the length of Health Care Assistant training varies from school to school, programs typically last about seven months, and most HCAs graduate and register to start working in less than a year.
Ready to learn more?
If you’re ready to Choose to Care, and take the first step toward becoming a Health Care Assistant, click here to find a recognized HCA training program near you. Learn more at choose2care.ca.