Guest OpEd from Dr. Debakant Jena, detailing the failing of Canada\u0027s post\u002Dsecondary institutions to address a shortage of skilled workers.
University of Alberta medical students learn how to start an IV during a medical skills competition. More than 40 residency positions went unfilled in Alberta this year amid a shortage of health workers.We Canadians never seem to have enough skilled workforce in this country. The nation lacks physicians, nurses, dentists, vets, engineers, lawyers, and professionals in almost every other area.
Our manufacturing, service and technology industries are struggling to keep up with the rest of the world as we do not have enough trained professionals in the country. The pandemic has bared these vulnerabilities even further. Many Canadian students are wasting precious years and resources on campuses, waiting for admissions into their desired professional courses. Most cannot pass through the random, ineffective and opaque admission policies.
About a million people in my home province of Alberta are looking for family doctors, but more than 40 family physician residency/training positions in our province could not be matched this year. There were simply not enough Canadian medical students to take up these training posts. We all know how even our brightest aspirants are denied entry to medical schools year after year — here in Alberta and across Canada.
We must provide concrete and predictable paths for Canadian students to progress in their careers. Hard-working and motivated students should have fair chances in a defined time rather than “figuring it out” for years. The families would have tangible hope for their children’s future, improving the nation’s morale. That, in itself, would be a massive positive change for our country. With a guaranteed supply of well-trained professionals and skilled labour, our industries can plan for the future.
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