The Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, visited College of the North Atlantic (CNA) in Grand Falls-Windsor today to provide details about the construction of specialized laboratory facilities that will allow the college to establish a Medical Laboratory Sciences program at the campus. Minister O’Brien was joined by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services
, and Ann Marie Vaughan, CNA’s President and CEO.
Budget 2014: Shared Prosperity, Fair Society, Balanced Outlook provides $1.5 million as part of a two-year $4.3 million capital investment for medical science labs at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus.
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College of the North Atlantic is the sole deliverer of the three-year Medical Laboratory Sciences program in this province, and currently this training is only available in St. John’s at the college’s Prince Philip Drive campus. The Provincial Government’s investment in new specialized labs will allow CNA to expand its Medical Laboratory Sciences training to Grand Falls-Windsor, providing more students with an opportunity to pursue an education in a high-demand field, and supplying a skilled workforce to meet labour market needs.”
- The Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills
The 5,600 square foot Medical Laboratory Sciences training facility will include three new laboratory facilities in addition to a fourth existing lab, preparatory spaces, storage for materials and supplies – including secure chemical storage – and offices. It is anticipated that beginning in 2016, 16 students will be accepted into the program at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus annually. The Prince Philip Drive campus has a student capacity of 30 students per year.
“The development of a Medical Laboratory Sciences training facility will enhance health science program delivery and directly benefit rural regions of the province. Expanding the number of students will ensure that well-trained and competent graduates are available to the labour market in addition to improving recruitment at the regional health authorities. This is a great announcement for Grand Falls-Windsor and all students in this region interested in the medical laboratory sciences.”
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The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services
The Provincial Government is providing $4 million through Budget 2014 for infrastructure at College of the North Atlantic, including $1.5 million for a medical sciences lab at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus and $1.7 million for industrial shop modernization at college campuses. The Provincial Government has allocated over $51 million in infrastructure funding for College of the North Atlantic since 2004.
"College of the North Atlantic is very pleased with this announcement. Medical Laboratory Sciences is a program with both high student demand and high labour force demand and this new facility in Grand Falls-Windsor will allow us to increase the number of students who will be able to access this training and thus increase the number of qualified medical laboratory technologists available to our health care sector.”
- Ann Marie Vaughan, President and CEO, College of the North Atlantic
Through sound fiscal management and responsible decisions, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is strengthening the business environment, encouraging the development of innovative industries and building a vibrant economy.
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QUICK FACTS
· Through Budget 2014, the provincial government is providing $1.5 million as part of a two-year $4.3 million capital investment for the construction of medical science labs at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus of College of the North Atlantic.
· The labs will enable College of the North Atlantic to establish a Medical Laboratory Sciences program at its Grand Falls-Windsor campus.
· College of the North Atlantic is the only institution to offer three-year medical sciences training in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Medical Laboratory Sciences program is currently offered at the college’s Prince Philip Drive campus.
· It is anticipated that 16 students will be accepted into the program at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus annually beginning in 2016.
Media Contacts:
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Advanced Education and Skills
709-729-0753, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca