Burnaby’s British Columbia Institute of Technology will receive more funding for sonography and cardiovascular perfusion programs to produce more graduates.
"Students, health-care workers and patients have been calling on government to increase sonography training across the province for years, and we are answering that call with new and expanded programs in Northern B.C., Vancouver Island and now the Lower Mainland," said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training, in a news release. "We're investing in BCIT so more students can train for dynamic and rewarding health-care careers and deliver the high-quality care British Columbians rely upon."
Government is investing a total of $2.5 million. Funding of $880,000 will support the expansion of BCIT's diagnostic medical sonography and cardiovascular perfusion programs.
Eight first-year seats were added to the existing 32 sonography seats in September 2019. Another eight first-year seats will be added in 2020 for a total of 48 first-year seats.
Capital funding of $1.6 million will allow purchase of the necessary sonography equipment. Beginning in 2020, the cardiovascular perfusion program will expand by three seats - by moving the program intake from seven students every two years to an annual intake of five students.
"I'm delighted that students in my riding will have increased access to top-quality speciality health training at BCIT so they can train for in-demand jobs that will help build fulfilling and rewarding careers,” said Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North. “Supporting students in these specialty positions will help deliver the high-quality health care that British Columbians need and deserve."
