We are pleased to announce $3 million in new funding for professional development of health science professionals. The new funding, secured from the BC Ministry of Health, is the latest round of support for union members covered by the health science professionals collective agreement. It builds on $3 million provided in 2018 and another $3 million in 2021.
 
The funding will support further specialization of skills in key professions. With B.C.'s health care system now struggling with dire shortages of health science professionals in many disciplines, the funding is an important part of the urgent action needed to train, recruit and retain these specialized health professionals.
 
Key points about the new professional development funding:

• The funding is to be allocated to training and upgrading skills for HSPBA members working in professions experiencing shortages, or in rural and remote locations, as well as ongoing required professional development for all HSPBA members;
• The funding will apply to education or training commenced between April 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023;
• The education or training must pertain to professional development in a health science professional discipline being practiced in the public health care system; and
• Eligible expenses for reimbursement include tuition fees, registration fees, cost of required books or materials, and other reasonable education-related expenses and may also include reasonable costs of travel and accommodation if the applicant must travel or temporarily relocate to attend education or training or related clinical placement.

All health science professionals covered by the HSPBA collective agreement, which includes members of BCGEU, CUPE, HEU, HSA and PEA are eligible to apply for funding.

Application forms are now available on the BCGEU website: https://www.bcgeu.ca/learning

This new funding is an encouraging sign that your bargaining committee's message to government about the need for urgent action to address staff shortages may be getting through. We'll keep building on this first step by pushing the government to add new training seats for key professions across B.C. and to agree to the long-overdue pay increases your bargaining committee is demanding.

UWU/MoveUP