In a world where there is a never-ending job list of open healthcare-related positions, the question is usually, “Where can I go to school in order to get the most out of my healthcare career?” Enter CLI College of Business, Health, and Technology. The Caring Support Podcast team partnered up with a key person to the growth of CLI College and its many promising programs for aspiring support workers in the field of healthcare.
In this article, we learn more about the conversation that the Caring Support podcast team had with Kaydene Campbell, RPN and Vice President for CLI College of Business, Health, and Technology. In this episode, we discussed life on the CLI campus and what students can expect as they enroll in one of the dynamic and in-demand healthcare career programs offered at CLI College.
Some of the things that were tackled in the discussion include:
Kaydene Campbell is the Vice President of CLI College of Business, Health, & Technology. She is also a franchise owner for Nurse NEXT Door Markham. Being a Registered Practical Nurse from Seneca College, she has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Yorkville University and is currently doing her EMBA with the University of Fredericton with a concentration in Health & Safety.
With over 19 years of experience in the education sector, she initiated the process of creating a new culture for CLI College, helping to build six campuses, four in Ontario and two in Alberta. Before working at CLI College, Kaydene worked with the Ministry of Education in Jamaica in the School Personnel department.
After moving to Canada in 2009, she worked at CLI College, which only had two programs during that time: the Personal Support Worker program, and the Developmental Service Worker program. Kaydene Campbell updated their registry and the system that they had for filing, among many other things. Having implemented myriad changes to the system, Kaydene was instrumental in the decision to add more programs to the college. Kaydene herself enrolled in the PSW program part-time at CLI and started volunteering at Christian Horizons.
Kaydene ventured into nursing and enrolled at Seneca College. While being enrolled in the RPN program part-time, she continued working with CLI College and got promoted to campus administrator. Kaydene, along with the board at CLI College, decided to venture out and open their Edmonton campus.
Kaydene would also initiate having the CLI College Vision Board that shows what has to be accomplished within a year, which pushes the team to work towards accomplishing those tasks. Having had a good relationship with the owner of CLI College, Kaydene was deeply involved in growing the school. Today, CLI College has eight campuses: two in Alberta, one in Edmonton, one in Calgary, and four in Ontario, specifically in Sheppard, Hamilton, London, and a French campus in Scarborough.
When it comes to healthcare programs, CLI College offers the Developmental Service Worker program, Recreational Therapy and Gerontology program, Mental Health and Addictions program, as well as the Personal Support Worker program, Home Support Worker program, and Food Support Worker program. CLI College takes pride in hands-on training, and practical training.
For the coming winter semester, Personal Support Worker classes are starting on January 23rd, as well as the Developmental Service Worker program and the Mental Health program starting on February 6th. Meanwhile, we have the Recreational Therapy and Gerontology, the Food Service Worker and the Home Support Worker programs in March. Students may go to our website and fill out the application form. Following this, one of our admissions persons will reach out to them and invite them in to do the admissions interview and the admissions test.
The Developmental Service Worker program is approximately 49 weeks, which is one of the more extensive and most of our students, once they finish the in-class portion of the program, go out in the field for their practicum, and get hired. The Personal Support Worker program is 35 weeks. In the program, PSWs are trained to be the "eyes" for nurses because the PSWs are tasked to always be physically present with the patient, tending to their needs and requests. Meanwhile, a nurse is responsible for giving medication and assessment for the patients.
Read More: How to Find a PSW Job with No Experience in Canada
Many students who graduate from healthcare programs may not know how to navigate employment life right away. Thankfully, a piece of advice for healthcare students was discussed in the podcast. It was mentioned that while students may learn something today in the sector, this can change in the near future. PSWs are also not regulated, and some of the people working in the field don't know about these changes.
It's good for PSWs, especially for fresh graduates to continuously read about what healthcare changes are out there, and continuously understand the complex care that must be given to the clients, like knowing about disease progressions that your clients have in order for you to better care for your client.
Kaydene also encouraged the listeners to be kind, because "you don't know what another person is going through." There must also be a certain demeanour about you, characterized as approachability and willingness to listen to what other people have to say. Additionally, it was also mentioned that it pays if you naturally want to help somebody. This is because the nature of work of most of the programs is all about help and encouragement, and support workers must extend a helping hand because they are in a position to do so, too.
For anyone who's looking to enter the healthcare field now, two programs that are in demand were suggested by Kaydene: the Food Workers Service Program and the Personal Support Worker program. It was emphasized that the Personal Support Worker program is always going to be in demand wherever you go in Canada - be it Toronto, Ottawa, or Alberta.
It was also mentioned that the culture at CLI College is a culture based on equality. It was shared that within their office environment, the treatment is more comparable to those of brothers and sisters than coworkers. Students and employees who are going through anything are ensured to be in a safe place met with kindness and happiness, and supported by a big family environment. This is said to be an important approach to foster care, kindness, and compassion especially since everyone is connected to the healthcare field as well.
Addendum: If students and employees need any help with any further loans, principal loans, Canada student loans, as well as the interest rates, the credit bureau to help you with a good credit rating, and the grace period regarding payments, developmental disabilities that some students deal with, the repayment assistance plan (RAP) system, and issues with income tax such as income tax refund, then assistance can be extended to you.
Healthcare support workers must prioritize their professional growth, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. This is why Caring Support offers a multitude of benefits that set us apart from our competitors. We provide materials like our resume builder to highlight the skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals in the field, allowing them to get hired quickly by the best possible healthcare employer.
Caring Support also carefully matches support workers with suitable clients based on compatibility to ensure a positive working relationship between healthcare workers and employees. We strive to foster a supportive community where support workers can connect with peers for networking opportunities and share best practices. We take pride in maintaining high standards of professionalism, ensuring efficiency and transparency throughout the employment process with our background-checking feature.
Choosing Caring Support is not just about finding a job in healthcare; it's about being part of a community that values the contributions of support workers, helps with their career growth, and prioritizes their well-being. Countless job opportunities for support workers are waiting. Create an account at Caring Support today.
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