Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 70
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CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (2025)
Vancouver Coastal Health supports employee career growth
S
ally Breen recently saw
that a colleague who had
started at Vancouver
Coastal Health (VCH) as
a student nurse took on a
manager role. “I led the Employed
Student Nurse program when
he was in it and to now see him
as a manager, it’s such a swell of
pride. I am so happy to see people
like him succeed and to know
I was a part of their journey,”
says Breen, executive director,
talent management and strategy
deployment.
Breen, who started as a nurse at
VCH in 1983, credits the support
she received from the organization
and her mentors for her successful
career. After working in various
clinical areas, she became an educator, and eventually director of
clinical education, before moving
to her current role.
From the start, we’re
curious about your
trajectory and where
you want to work. What
is your area of passion?
— Sally Breen
Executive Director, Talent
Management and Strategy
Deployment
VCH, one of five regional health
authorities covering B.C., provides
the support needed to help
employees find their career paths.
“From the start, we’re curious
about your trajectory and where
you want to work. What is your
area of passion? It is more than
just filling a vacancy – we want
people to be fulfilled and stay
with us throughout their career,”
Vancouver Coastal Health focuses on promoting healthy lives and communities within its region.
Breen says.
VCH assigns an onboarding
associate to help guide new staff
and medical staff during their first
60 days. The associates provide
direct support, answer questions
and seek further information on
anything related to the employee
experience. The onboarding team
works in multiple languages to
support the diverse workforce. A
relocation specialist helps new
employees with anything from
housing to finding childcare or a
new bank.
The organization has also
increased its number of clinical
mentor roles to help the transition
into the organization and clinical
practice. Other programs include
career coaching and sponsored
education opportunities, such as
operating room or home health
nursing programs, which provide
full tuition and full salary and
benefits while trainees pursue
education for specialized clinical
roles.
Doris Wu, a registered nurse
with Richmond’s Home Health
team, completed the Regional
Home Health Education Program
to help her transition from
nursing school to home health
nursing. She became interested in
home health nursing after doing
a rotation on the Richmond team
prior to graduation.
“I was so drawn in by the
culture. My mentors are very
approachable, and I always feel
comfortable asking questions,”
she says. “My colleagues are the
best and are always willing to help
me. As a new grad, having these
role models makes me realize
this is how I want to show up as a
nurse as I grow in my career.”
Wu also appreciates that VCH
offers benefits and programs to
promote wellness, such as yoga
classes and coverage for massage
therapy. The organization also
offers a robust employee and
