Herzing Blog

 Nancy Scott RN (centre) wins the Herzing College Teacher of the Year award for her outstanding work with health care aide students

Health care aides (HCAs) are in high demand in Winnipeg and across most of Canada. Our rapidly aging population and dwindling health care budgets have long-term care facilities bursting at the seams.

Meanwhile, many seniors are opting to stay in their own homes for longer, creating a need for trained health care aides who can assist them to live safely on their own.

If you're looking for a career in healthcare that doesn't require years of training, but involves challenging, meaningful work—becoming a health care aide is an ideal option.

Maria Aquino (far right) poses with business students and faculty at the Herzing College Winnipeg campus

A lot of people choose business administration training because it opens up so many different career paths. Accounting, marketing, sales, management, client services...this program builds a strong foundation in several key areas of business.

And that's exactly what Maria Theresa Aquino was looking for when she started the Business Administration program at Herzing earlier this year.

Photo: Herzing graduate Sheri Richard in her Health Care Aide uniform at Extendicare Oakview Place in Winnipeg

It's always really exciting to catch up with Herzing grads and see how much their lives have changed since finishing school and starting a brand new career.

Health care aide graduate Sheri Richard is a great example. She switched career paths later in life, when she could no longer find work in her field and needed a new direction.

Sheri knew she wanted to help people, so she started looking around for quick training options. A five-month health care aide diploma was an ideal fit.

And even though she has three children and a very busy schedule, Sheri took the leap and started the program. Turns out, it was the best decision she ever made.

Here's what she told us about heading back to school, starting her health care aide career, and where she's working now.

Susan Zirk in her health care aide scrubs, in Selkirk, Manitoba.

Are you considering becoming a health care aide, and wondering if you'd be a good fit for the role?

Looking to switch jobs, but don't want to spend years re-training? You're definitely not alone.

Susan Zirk was working a high-pressure finance job when she started looking around for other options. She wanted to do something with more meaning - work that actually helps people and feels rewarding.

Finally, she took the plunge and signed up for Health Care Aide training at Herzing College Winnipeg.

Now she's living a completely different life, working for a home-care company that helps seniors live safely and independently in their own residences.

We checked in with Susan this week to see how her new career is going and learn more about her experience becoming a health care aide. Read on for the highlights!

Updated December 2023

How do you know if you're a good fit for business training? Before you spend thousands on tuition and invest the time in studying, how can you be sure this path is right for you?

These are crucial questions for any student—questions you absolutely should be asking. College is a big investment of time and money.

The point of training is to build on your natural skills and get qualified for a career you'll be great at and truly enjoy.

So before you take the next step, consider the nine points on this list. These are some clear signs you're suited for business training and would be successful in this career path.

Herzing Health Care Aide students pose for a photo 

Are you considering becoming a health care aide (HCA)? Wondering what's involved in training, and whether you'd be a good fit for this career?

There's no one better to talk to than Nancy Scott, RN. Nancy has been teaching full-time for 20 years, and actually helped develop the Health Care Aide Program at Herzing College in Winnipeg.

She started as a health care aide herself, and has brought years of experience, dedication, and passion to the program. In fact, it's because of Nancy's commitment to excellence that Herzing now offers the most comprehensive, cutting-edge health care aide training in Winnipeg.