Meet Sandra Adam, proud Personal Support Worker
At 52 years old, she was already working at Foyer des pionniers Nursing Home in Hearst and saw in this opportunity a chance to get her diploma while still working full-time. The program, an initiative by Collège Boréal with Notre-Dame Hospital, the Foyer des pionniers Nursing Home and the Nord-Aski Family Health Team, was created as a response to the shortage of PSWs in the health system that was accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
For one year, Sandra attended school once every week while keeping her full-time job. Twelve months later, she has her diploma in hand, just like the 7 other graduates of the program. “It’s a very challenging program but I loved it”, shares Sandra about her experience. Some family members and friends were startled when she decided to go back to school at 52 years old, but she now says other members of her family also decided to take that route.
A wonderful surprise
By the time Sandra and her colleagues finished the program, they were in for quite a surprise. They will soon receive a full reimbursement for their tuition fees thanks to the program’s generous partners, a check none of the graduates imagined receiving. This surprise has further confirmed Sandra’s career choice and her desire to make a difference in people’s lives when they are the most vulnerable.
