With a growing population and rising demand for healthcare services, Steinbach Economic Development (SED) is taking steps to strengthen its local workforce.
In partnership with Assiniboine Community College, the Province of Manitoba, and HavenGroup, SED has announced the launch of a new Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) training program that’s set to begin in September 2025.
“It’s such a great partnership,” says Christine Beaumont, the President of SED. “Steinbach Economic's role in all of that is just bringing those parties together, bringing them to the table and allowing for that to happen.”
This new initiative will provide 35 LPN training seats and will be delivered directly from within Rest Haven Care Home.
“It's a great initiative that helps to solve situation in workforce development, helps healthcare in our community, (and) provides opportunities for Steinbach residents and from the region to be trained locally. We know that there's a lot more likelihood that they will stay and be employed locally when they're trained locally,” Beaumont says.
In addition to the LPN program, Healthcare Aid training is also being offered at Rest Haven, with 25 seats available.
While anyone from outside the region is welcome to apply, priority for training seats will be given to local applicants.
Beaumont says this initiative is creating real benefits for the community while providing access to training for students.
“It's helping our employers, it's helping our residents, and just that opportunity of having the training happening right within a facility where students can do their classroom and practical training all under one roof. (There's) a huge opportunity for Rest Haven to potentially employ some of those students afterwards, as well as other employers in the community.”
She says the program is an economic win.
“From the perspective of Steinbach Economic Development, we look at economic impact. Something like this has a potential of injecting $3,000,000 into our local economy per training cycle."
But, she notes, it's more than that.
“Even beyond that economic benefit is just that investment in improving the quality of life in healthcare and for our community. So, we're really excited about it," she says.
Beaumont adds SED's partnership with Assiniboine College is just the beginning.
"They are not in our community currently, so we've already started to have those discussions on what other opportunities, and what other potential training programs, could be introduced to our community to further develop our workforce, maybe in other sectors. Those conversations are already underway."
There is plenty of potential for future growth.
"(SED is) looking for more opportunities to connect training and workforce development, and connect with larger employers, and leverage some of those municipal assets that we have like Rest Haven."
Those interested in learning more about the training programs can visit: assiniboine.net/nursing.