Legal and healthcare training offer great return: Workopolis study

Friday, August 15, 2014

A recent Workopolis study shows that healthcare and legal studies programs offer some of the most promising returns on education investment.

The study, conducted in May and June 2014, revealed that virtually all nursing grads, for example, find work in their field – 97 per cent according to the study . This insight makes programs like Vancouver Career College’s Practical Nursing program an attractive option.

The study also showed that healthcare graduates in general earn some of the highest starting wages in Canada , and legal careers – such as those obtained by graduates of Vancouver Career College’s Paralegal and Legal Administrative Assistant programs – weren’t far behind . And despite what you may assume, it’s not just judges and lawyers taking home those big paycheques.

“Researchers, assistants, clerks, all of those folks seem to be not only able to find roles, but have a very good return as far as starting salaries,” said Tara Talbot, vice-president of human resources for Workopolis, during a CTV interview in early August.

“[Employers] are looking for where have people worked, what’s their past experience, what kind of skills do they have,” she added. “It’s actually less about degrees . . . than it is about the skill set that they would bring to the role.”

That’s precisely why Vancouver Career College graduates have so much career success, with the majority working in their chosen career field within six months of graduation. Hands-on training, industry-standard software and equipment and real workplace experience during a practicum placement – it’s not education for education’s sake; it’s real career training.

And it’s very effective.