Arborg to host Assiniboine rural rotating Practical Nursing program

In consultation with Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, Assiniboine Community College will offer a rural rotating site for its Practical Nursing diploma in Arborg, Manitoba. The program will commence there starting in September 2022 with capacity for 25 students.

The addition of this rural rotating site in Arborg comes after the Province of Manitoba announced in late 2021 an investment to increase capacity in nursing programs throughout Manitoba. This includes additional funding to Assiniboine for three new rural rotating sites and the expansion of the college’s Portage la Prairie nursing site to welcome 35 students each year.

“These additional nursing seats at Assiniboine Community College are integral in furthering our Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy to ensure people have more access to post-secondary education in Manitoba in sectors with high labour demand, like health care,” said Hon. Jon Reyes, Minister of Advance Education, Skills and Immigration. “Assiniboine’s rural rotating nursing sites are an important contributor to the province’s goal of increasing nursing seats in the coming year.”

“Working with the province, the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority and the community to deliver this program is an important part of our work to ensure we’re training nurses where they’re needed,” said Mark Frison, President at Assiniboine. “The demand for nurses continues to be high. Offering rural rotating nursing sites, like this one, helps to address the need for skilled graduates in all regions of the province.”

In addition to rural rotating sites, the college has permanent Practical Nursing programs at its campuses in Brandon, Winnipeg, Dauphin and Portage la Prairie.

Applications to the Arborg offering of the program will open from January 31, 2022 to April 18, 2022. All qualified applications received within that window will be assessed for admission. Only those living within the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority will be considered for admission.

“Training nurses close to home allows them to learn in a familiar environment and have the opportunity to learn about and apply for jobs in their community upon graduation,” said Marion Ellis, interim CEO of Interlake-Eastern RHA. “It also helps meet the high demand for nurses in Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority. We are pleased to work with Assiniboine to offer learners in our health region this opportunity.”

The demand for Assiniboine nursing graduates continues to be high; 100 per cent of practical nursing graduates surveyed from the 2019-20 academic year said they had jobs, making on average more than $53,000 a year.

Important updates, information, and checklists for prospective applicants are available at assiniboine.net/nursing.