THUNDER BAY – An expanded partnership between Confederation College and the province’s air ambulance service is hoping to help students reach their education goals.
Ornge and the college on Thursday announced a bursary to support Aboriginal and Northern Ontario students in aviation, health and community services programs has been increased.
Under the expanded Ornge-AgustaWestland Endowment Fund for Northern and Aboriginal Learners, up to 15 students per year are now eligible to receive up to $1,750 each.
Ornge board of directors member Pat Lang, who is also a past president of Confederation College, said it’s important for students to receive education as close to home as possible.
“The research has told us when students study close to home they tend to stay close to home when they graduate,” she said. “For Ornge to continue to be successful it needs to have people who come in to the workforce with the skills, knowledge and abilities we need from those particular programs.”
Priority for the bursaries will first be given to First Nations students followed by students from smaller, northern communities.
Confederation College president Jim Madder said financial programs such as this bursary are crucial to making post-secondary education more accessible for students.
“Many of our students work at one or two jobs in order to sustain themselves while they’re studying. They’re working 20, 30 or even sometimes 40 hours per week so if the bursaries can reduce the number of hours they have to work in order to sustain themselves and their families they’re going to be more successful,” he said.
“It literally could mean the difference between coming to school for many and not coming to school at all.”
For many communities, where health-care services are separated by vast distance, the air ambulance is vitally important.
“The services provided across the north by Ornge, whether it’s Northeastern or Northwestern Ontario, are absolutely critical,” Lang said. “The services Ornge provides are a critical health lifeline. The services are absolutely essential for them to access medical care.”
The partnership fulfills goals for both Orgne and Confederation College across the region.
“If you look at the area Orgne serves out of Thunder Bay and the area we serve out of Thunder Bay and our eight smaller locations as well, it virtually overlaps 100 per cent,” Madder said.
