The golden light of early autumn filters through the community center windows in Treherne, Manitoba, where I’m watching a diverse group of students practice transferring a mock patient from a wheelchair to a bed. Some hands move tentatively, others with surprising confidence. They laugh nervously when the instructor corrects their technique, but the determination in their eyes is unmistakable.
“I’ve been caring for my mother for three years,” whispers Elena, a woman in her forties who drove 40 minutes from her family farm to attend this training. “But now I want to do it right, with proper training. Our community needs more of us.”
This scene marks the beginning of RRC Polytech’s newly launched Health Care Aide program in Treherne, a rural community about 115 kilometers southwest of Winnipeg. The initiative represents a creative solution to two pressing rural challenges: healthcare worker shortages and limited access to post-secondary education.
The program emerged through a partnership between RRC Polytech and the Southern Health-Santé Sud and Prairie Mountain Health regional health authorities. It’s designed to train local residents to become certified Health Care Aides without requiring them to relocate to urban centers for education.
“When we looked at the data, we saw two clear trends converging,” explains Dr. Christine Watson, Vice President Academic at RRC Polytech. “Rural Manitoba communities are aging faster than urban centers, increasing the demand for care. Simultaneously, we’re seeing healthcare workers concentrate in cities, leaving critical gaps in rural areas.”
Those gaps are painfully evident to residents like Gordon McLeod, a retired farmer whose wife requires daily assistance. “We had to wait nine months to get regular home care,” he tells me as we chat outside the training facility. “Young people leave for the cities to study and work. They rarely come back.”
Statistics Canada data backs up McLeod’s observation. Rural Manitoba’s population aged 65 and older increased by 25% between 2016 and 2021, compared to 15% in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, healthcare worker density in rural areas remains at about half the urban concentration, according to Manitoba Health’s regional health workforce reports.
The 17-week program combines classroom learning with hands-on clinical experience in local healthcare facilities. What makes this initiative unique is its community-embedded approach. Classes are held in Treherne rather than requiring students to commute to Brandon or Winnipeg. Clinical placements happen in nearby personal care homes and hospitals.
“We’re creating a pathway for people who are already committed to these communities,” says Jane Curtis, CEO of Southern Health-Santé Sud. “Many students are already informal caregivers. They know these communities intimately. This program gives them formal credentials to provide care professionally.”
The curriculum covers essential skills like personal care assistance, mobility support, meal preparation, and monitoring vital signs. But instructor Marissa Chen emphasizes that the program goes beyond technical skills.
“We focus heavily on cultural sensitivity, especially regarding Indigenous perspectives on health and wellness,” Chen explains while showing me the course materials. “About 30% of our current cohort identifies as Indigenous, and we incorporate traditional knowledge and approaches to care whenever possible.”
I notice Chen uses case studies drawn directly from rural Manitoba scenarios, making the learning immediately applicable to the settings where students will eventually work.
The program also addresses financial barriers that often prevent rural residents from pursuing education. Students receive a living allowance and transportation subsidy while completing their training. In exchange, they commit to working within the regional health authorities for at least one year after graduation.
Brian Hodge, Senior Regional Director with Prairie Mountain Health, believes this model could transform rural healthcare delivery. “When health workers are trained in the communities they’ll serve, retention rates improve dramatically,” he says. “Our previous attempts to recruit urban-trained workers to rural settings had mixed results. People would come for six months, then return to the city.”
Early indicators suggest the approach is working. The program’s first cohort filled all 18 available spots within days of applications opening, with a waiting list quickly forming. Current students range in age from 18 to 56, with diverse backgrounds including farming, retail, and family caregiving.
For 22-year-old Jayden Thomas, the program offers a chance to build a career without leaving the community where his family has lived for generations. “My kokum always said our strength comes from our land and our people,” he tells me during a break in training. “Now I can care for our elders while staying connected to both.”
The initiative addresses immediate healthcare needs while potentially creating longer-term economic benefits for rural communities. Health Care Aides in Manitoba earn between $19 and $23 per hour, according to the Manitoba Healthcare Providers Network, providing stable middle-income employment in regions where such opportunities have been diminishing.
As I prepare to leave Treherne, I notice Elena practicing a blood pressure reading on another student. Her hands move with growing confidence. When she successfully completes the procedure, her face lights up with pride.
“I used to think I’d have to choose between caring for my community and having a real career,” she says. “Now I don’t have to choose. That’s what makes this program so important.”
If the Treherne pilot proves successful, RRC Polytech plans to expand the model to other rural Manitoba communities facing similar healthcare worker shortages. The next potential locations include communities in the Interlake-Eastern and Northern health regions, where aging populations and healthcare access challenges are even more pronounced.
In a province where geographic distance has long created barriers to both education and healthcare, this community-based training model might just offer a path forward—one that keeps care close to home, where it belongs.
