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The Douglas College Newsletter @ New Westminster Campus @ David Lam Campus @ Surrey Training Centre

IN

Douglas College

 

College offers Working
Solutions for health care

Foreign-trained health
professionals looking for entry
into the Canadian health care
system can now look to Douglas
College to help them make the
transition.

The provincial government

has selected Douglas College
as a preferred provider for
Working Solutions — Health, a
program that assists physicians,
nurses and other health care
professionals qualify to practice

and work in Canada.

The program is an expansion

of the successful Working
Solutions for Skilled Immigrants
(WSSI), which is currently
offered through The Training
Group. The WSS] is a part of
the provincial government’s BC
Skills Connect pilot program.
Funded by the Ministry of
Economic Development in
cooperation with the Ministry of
Health, the program will deliver
individual career consultations,
career-development workshops,
placements and career

mentoring services.

The Training Group’s positive
record with the WSSI program
and a partnership with the
Faculty of Health enabled

Douglas College to be named as
one of only two providers of the

program.

“It’s very exciting to offer a new
program that both contributes
to Canadian health care and
assists highly skilled individuals
to re-enter their chosen health
profession,” says Douglas
College President Susan Witter.

Faculty of Health Sciences will
assist in arranging worksite-
experience placements and
clinical practice assignments
for clients from across the
Lower Mainland. The new
program serves a wide range of
professionals including doctors,
nurses, midwives, pharmacists

and occupational therapists.

“The instructors in our

Health Sciences Faculty

are all experienced health-

care providers who are well
connected to regional health
authorities, hospitals, clinics
and other health agencies,”

says Witter. “Their experience,
knowledge and contact networks
in the local health community
are tremendous assets for clients

in this program.”

However, the key to success,
says program coordinator

Lois Taylor, is developing an
individualized plan for every

client.

“There are existing procedures
for foreign-trained health
professionals to gain certification
to work and practice in Canada,
but navigating through the
system can be like entering a
maze,” says Taylor, who has
worked in skilled-immigrant
training for 17 years. “A major
part of our program is working
one-to-one with people to assist
them to complete the upgrading
and re-certification they need as
quickly and easily as possible.”

Clients can access program
funding to purchase services
that will improve their
qualifications such as English-
language courses, technical skills
upgrading and re-certification.
Admission to the program can
take place any time and the
process takes approximately six
to 18 months. The core program
is free and participants receive
financial support for upgrading.
For more information about
Working Solutions - Health call
604-777-6099.

 

 

Networking in Norway

a

UMP yt

Executive Director of International Education Guangwei
Ouyang and President Susan Witter represented Douglas
College at the 19th Annual European Association of

International Education (EAIE) conference in Trondheim,

Norway.

The conference introduced Douglas College to over 3,500
people from over 50 countries and opened the door to new
educational partnerships with European institutions.

Douglas College was among 35 Canadian post-secondary
institutions showcased at the Destination Canada Exhibit, a
Joint presentation by the Governments of Canada and BC.

Douglas College fuels economic growth

A new provincial study shows
that taxpayers, governments
and local economies benefit
significantly by having Douglas
College in their communities.

The study, conducted for BC
Colleges by CCbenefits Inc.,
indicates that Douglas College
brings roughly $57.8 million
into the local economy each year
due to College operations and

higher earnings for graduates.

“This study indicates the
benefits to students, local
communities and business
and illustrates what a great
investment the College
represents for taxpayers and
government,” says Douglas

College President Susan Witter.

The report shows that former
students generate about $32.9
million annually in higher

earnings due to their Douglas

College education. Graduates’
higher earnings expand the tax
base and reduce the tax burden

on provincial taxpayers.

“Over the course of a student's
working career, Douglas College
returns $5.30 for every dollar of

taxpayer support,” Witter says.

While enjoying better careers,
graduates earn an additional
$360,000 each over a lifetime.

The report, Economic
Contribution of Douglas College,
finds that the College acts as
an engine of economic growth
by stimulating new business,
bringing new students to the
region and providing business

with highly skilled employees.

The economic impact model
used in the analysis has been
peer reviewed and field-tested

and used in more than 700

studies for community and
technical colleges in the US and
Canada.

For more information about this
report visit www.douglascollege.
ca/instres/douglas-college-

stim ulates-economy

 

Quote of the Month

and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October.”

“There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on,

- Nathaniel Hawthorne, (1804-1864)