THUNDER BAY — Nursing students and all paramedic students are now eligible for a bursary that supports those looking to study and work in Northern Ontario.
Confederation College and Ornge announced the expanded eligibility for their joint bursary, the Ornge Northern Air Ambulance Award, on Thursday.
Since 2019, more than 65 students have benefitted from the Ornge Northern Air Ambulance Award. This annual award gives out up to 15 entrance grants, worth at least $1,000 each, and up to 15 in-program awards of $1,500 each to students who are Indigenous or live in Northern Ontario.
Now, the supported programs have been expanded to include the Advanced Care Paramedic and Nursing programs. These programs will join the Primary Care Paramedic, Aviation Flight Management and Aircraft Maintenance programs under the bursary.
Mathew Hill, a first-year student in the Aviation Flight Management program at Confederation College, is working to get his pilot’s license. He said he received the bursary for the flight management program.
Hill said the bursary will not only allow him to focus on his studies and make sure he gets through school, but it also means a lot for his career and will help him move forward with it.
“I was really excited just because it removes a lot of the financial stress related to coming to school. So, it’s nice to have the support from Ornge and that just means a lot,” said Hill.
After receiving the bursary, Hill said he is definitely considering a career with Ornge.
“It’s a super cool company. I would love to fly here. [They are] super cool people. They have cool planes and I love just the work and how just like unexpected it is. You get to just fly from here, like from Dryden. You just don’t know where you’re going every day. So super cool,” said Hill.
Wade Durham, the Chief Operating Officer at Ornge, attended the award ceremony. He said it is so good to hear that Hill wants to pursue a career with Ornge.
“That’s actually the intention of the award,” said Durham.
“The intention is to find Northern Ontario residents, including Indigenous students, that want to learn in the North and stay in the North. So, once they’ve completed their education in Confederation, hopefully, they consider a career with Ornge so that they can again work in Northern Ontario and help support Northern Ontario communities.”
The bursary also aims to address the growing needs of the regional air ambulance system.
From their standpoint, Durham said there’s a need for more pilots, paramedics and aircraft maintenance engineers like their front-line staff to deliver crucial care to communities in the North.
He said without their front-line staff, ‘the service doesn’t function.’
Durham said some of the staff they’re always looking for include fixed-wing pilots to fly the aircraft, paramedics to train up to critical care and aircraft maintenance engineers to ensure the aircraft they use are serviceable and safe.
For students trying to think of what their career will be and what they want to go to college for, Durham said it’s a great and rewarding career to get into.
“You never know what to expect as you come into work. Every day is different, but you get to fly around the province, you get to see different communities, you meet a lot of people and you get to give back to communities and the province,” said Durham.
Applications are now open and the college encourages students to apply before the equal consideration date on Feb. 1, 2025.
