“I first heard about the Health Care Assistant (HCA) program through my friend and people who encouraged me to take the next step toward a stable career. When I learned about the opportunity, I knew it was something that could truly change my life.I waited for about two years to be accepted into the program. I am very grateful to the funder for making it possible for me to enroll in the HCA Program. Without this support, returning to school would have been much more difficult. This opportunity has allowed me to invest in myself and my future, and I sincerely appreciate the belief and support shown through this program.

Coming back to school was not easy at first. Balancing classes, studying, and personal responsibilities was challenging, especially after being away from school for some time. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed, but I stayed committed and reminded myself why I started. Through hard work, support from instructors, and encouragement from classmates, I gained confidence in my abilities. One of my biggest successes has been proving to myself that I can learn new skills and succeed academically. Being back in school has been a rewarding experience that has helped me grow both personally and professionally.

Completing the HCA Program has opened new doors for employment and a long-term career in healthcare. The program has given me hope, direction, and the chance to build a better life for myself and my loved ones. The impact of this opportunity will be felt not only in my career, but also in the well-being and security of my family. It has also encouraged me to do more school and complete the nursing degree. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and for the people that have helped provide it to me.”

“My name is Kloey Tabilangan, a Filipino students who graduated from the Health Care Assistant course with Discovery Community College (DCC). My experience was honestly very positive. The teachers are the best, and are always willing to help whenever you’re stuck or unsure about something. They are all very kind and supportive.

One of my favorite teachers is Krystal. She is really nice, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, she will help you, assist you, and make sure you get back on track. Linda is also one of my favorite teachers. She is very kind and explains everything in a way that makes it easy to understand as long as you sit and don’t make any noise, lol.

Overall, DCC made studying much easier and less stressful. I truly enjoyed my time in the program and learned a lot.”

“I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to my college, Discovery Community College for all the support and encouragement that helped me successfully complete my Health Care Assistant program.  I am especially grateful to Neeru – she is truly the best!  Thank you all for being part of my journey!”

“My name is Lorraine Peña, I recently graduated from Discovery Community College (DCC) as a Health Care Assistant. It was a nine month program with online theory and in-person hands on training. I decided to take this course because I really wanted to help people and this program helped me prepare for that. As soon as I finished the program I got a job right away where I did my practicum.  It’s where I wanted to work, and it’s so close to home. I find this job to be very rewarding. Thank you DCC and BC Care Providers for the support!”

“I learned about the Health Care Assistant (HCA) program through WorkBC, where I was shown a poster promoting the opportunity. I applied and was thrilled to be accepted into the program. It has been a meaningful step toward starting a new career—one that I find both fulfilling and impactful, as it allows me to make a difference in people’s lives.

Returning to school at the age of 63 came with its challenges, particularly with the technology required for an online course. The college-supplied computer did not arrive until several weeks into the program, which made it difficult at first to navigate the digital learning environment. Thankfully, with the support of my classmates and college staff, I was able to overcome these obstacles and became confident in completing assignments and meeting course requirements.

The age gap between myself and the other students was also an adjustment. While many of them enjoyed socializing, I was focused on learning. Over time, however, I grew fond of them all. I even became affectionately known as the “class mom,” often helping to steer conversations back to the curriculum when needed.

With this education, I hope to build a career that is both financially supportive and personally rewarding. I also hope to inspire my adult daughters by showing them that it’s never too late to follow your dreams or start over. I’m proud to say I’ve achieved my goal of becoming a Health Care Assistant.”

“I heard about the Health Care Assistant program through an online post being shared through facebook from a former student, and as I had currently lost my job it seems like a perfect opportunity. This way I could get an education, and a career that could support my family.

Being in online school and returning to school for the first in over a decade was definitely an adjustment. It was great to be part of a larger team atmosphere, and by the time the classes became in person for labs, it quickly became a great fit for everyone it seemed.

This education is going to give my family more stability and myself more career opportunities in an ever changing economy. Where before good jobs were easy to find, the training and experience wasn’t considered transferable. With this course it will be, allowing me to continue finding work for years to come.”

“I heard about the program through WorkBC as I was involved in a program with them trying to find more consistent work as I was working in home care and already providing care for those in need.  Getting accepted into the program it meant everything for me I had taken care of my grandparents in their last years of lives before passing away, and knew it was something I wanted to continue to do helping and supporting people during their last moments and supporting them how every they want.

The experience of being in school as an adult was a new one especially with a portion of this program being online and learning and navigating the challenges of the online learning, there were other challenges such as their only being one instructor on for clinical and having to navigate around them for things in the facility like lifts, some success I had during this program were seeing all the smiling faces and sometimes the hard I’ll miss you from residents knowing I gave them great care made it all worth it, I made irreplaceable friends in this program other adults going through the same learning experience and difficulties made it easier to understand and connect to each other.

With this education I plan on continuing to care for those who can’t care for themselves with dignity, respect sympathy, and love as I once did for my own grandparents.  Some personal achievements I had during this program was despite have my own learning difficulties ADHD and having a special needs child at home that requires 24/7 care I kept my grades in the A and sometimes A+ section.”

“I recently heard from one of my coworkers that a nearby school was offering a Health Care Assistant (HCA) program, and it immediately caught my attention. She said it was well-organized and hands-on, so I decided to investigate it myself. I ended up applying, and the whole application process was surprisingly easy. The admin staff and student advisors were invaluable and guided me through every step, which made the experience smooth and stress-free. I’m delighted I took the program, and hearing about it from someone I trusted helped me leap-start a meaningful career in healthcare.

In the HCA program, I met a lot of new friends, both at school and in the care facilities where we trained. Working closely together helped us bond, but it also meant we sometimes had to deal with disagreements and a bit of drama. Whether it was misunderstandings in class or stress during practicum, we had to learn how to communicate and stay professional. During my preceptorship, the staff were very accommodating and helpful, always willing to show me new tips and strategies so I could provide the best care possible. Even when situations got tense, we supported each other and stayed focused on our goal of becoming confident, compassionate caregivers.

This program has given me a stable and rewarding career path, and I’m grateful for the confidence and skills it helped me build. Having hands-on experience in real care settings showed me that I truly enjoy working in healthcare and making a difference in people’s lives. The more I learned, the more my interest in the field grew, and now I’m even considering continuing my education to become a nurse in the future. What started as a way to start a new career has turned into a long-term passion and a clear direction for my future.”

“I heard about this program from my daughter, who was already enrolled. Being accepted into this program means the world to me. It has given me the opportunity to build a career for myself. To do what I’m passionate about. To make a difference in people’s lives. Giving them the best care they deserve.

My school experience was rewarding, yet at times very challenging and stressful. I have been out of school for 30 years. I had to get familiar with technology. I wasn’t at all comfortable working with computers. I have always had low self-esteem, constantly second guessing myself; leading to overthinking everything I do. I have become more confident person, overcoming a lot of obstacles. I have built numerous strong friendships with my classmates, mentors and instructors. They all helped me through my personal and professional struggles.

Upon successfully completing this course I will be going from working minimum wages jobs scraping by to making ends meet. I am constantly struggling to keep a roof over my girls and I head. Going forward my life will change. Not having to worry about money, health insurance and dental. I enjoy what I do in life. Outside of this program I have a love for animals and helping others. My motto has always been if everyone is good, that’s what matters. Having a better job will help me be a better parent. The opportunity to help my adult daughters and grandchildren financially. This is very important to me to be able to do this. I didn’t have that support from my parents. They struggled financially as well. We always had what we needed, nothing extra. Completing this course makes me proud of myself. I am so grateful for the opportunity you have given me. One of the greatest accomplishments of my life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”