More than 10,000 applications for admission to the short attendant training

2023-07-28 23:15:45

Following the call made to Quebecers by the Legault government in mid-May, more than 10,000 applications for admission to short-term beneficiary attendant training were submitted, according to the Ministry of Education. As of July 21, 1,813 candidates had been selected. The first cohort will begin in August.

“The analysis of applications continues”, writes in an email the Ministry of Education, specifying that “people have made more than one application for admission to different educational bodies”.

Quebec wants to train 3,000 to 5,000 beneficiary attendants by December 2023. According to the authorities, there is a shortage of some 11,000 attendants in the health network and, if nothing is done, this figure could climb to 15,000 or even to 20,000 by 2027.

The Quebec government has been leading an offensive since the spring to recruit beneficiary attendants. It offers a $12,000 scholarship to students who take short-term training and agree to work in the health and social services network for a period of six months.

Training cohorts are planned for this summer and fall. The 375-hour program, offered by some fifty school service centres, extends over 12 weeks. Registrations are still ongoing.

In order to recruit beneficiary attendants in CHSLDs, the Legault government launched short-term training in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 10,000 attendants who have completed this program have subsequently been hired. Nearly 8,000 of them are still in office, indicated Quebec last spring.