No matter what state the economy is in, people need to stay healthy. Making a career in health care always a viable choice.
Lori Cranson, an associate dean at George Brown College in Toronto, says the focus of modern health care has shifted from solely caring for the sick to a much more holistic approach to total health and well-being.
“All of our health professions focus on wellness. It’s about helping people be mobile and well and helping them lead more active lives,” Cranson said.
The result, Cranson says, is that jobs in the health industry are seldom out of demand, making a career in health a popular option.
Cranson says a wealth of career options exist in health care far beyond the stereotype of the field being filling mostly with doctors and nurses. Among the growing number of health-related jobs, personal trainers, physical education teachers, sports therapists and rehabilitation specialists all fall under the category of health workers too.
“I think people are unaware of the range of careers available in the health profession,” Cranson said.
At a recent information session for high-school students, George Brown College in Toronto gave Grade 11 and 12 students a hands-on look at careers in health.
More than 300 kids from 28 different schools across three Toronto-area school boards learned how to use a stethoscope, practised taking blood pressure on a programmable mannequin, learned to spell words in American Sign Language and even got a chance to try walking with a prosthetic leg.
Cathy Rudisi, department head of co-operative education at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School in Mississauga, says the hands-on approach worked as her students had a blast and were surprised at how many career paths health work offered.
“The kids were really excited about the opportunities presented to them. They were saying they didn’t realize there was so much they could do in health care,” Rudisi said.
Career advancement options also exist for those already in the field, particularly in nursing. A new bridging program offered by George Brown in tandem with Trent University lets Registered Practical Nurses (R.P.N.) with a two-year diploma upgrade their qualifications to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Completion of the program lets nurses advance to become Registered Nurses (R.N.).
