Avelina – Finding a Bright Future with MaKami

Originally from the Philippines, Avelina has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agri-Business with a major in Management. “I worked in that field for eight years, and then I began to gain an interest in health care. I’ve always had a passion for helping others, especially seniors and people with disabilities, so I decided to take a short six-month care giving course in the Philippines.”

With that certification, Avelina then went to Singapore for two years to work as a nursing aide before coming to Canada to work as a nanny in 2015.

She worked as a nanny for three years and before getting a job at MaKami College as an administrative assistant. While employed, Avelina decided to take the school’s Health Care Aide program.

“I was hesitant at first because I wanted to earn more money to get my family to Canada,” she admits. “But in the long run it was a great decision because the schooling prepared me for a long-term job where I was able to earn more money for my family.”

Avelina’s class was the first batch of MaKami’s Health Care Aide program in Calgary and the first one year Health Care Aide program offered in the province – which Avelina says set them apart in the industry.

“Other schools only offered six or eight month programs at the time, and I think it showed in our work when we got out into the field. With that extra program time we had a very strong foundation to be the best Health Care Aide.”

She adds the support she received also made a big difference. “The instructors at MaKami are very supportive. I, like many other students, was working full time while going to school, which can at times make it very challenging to get your assignments done on time. But the instructors and support staff were always there to help us stay on track and help us and guide us every time we needed them.”

Avelina also enjoyed the company of her classmates. “We had a lot of fun, happy moments in our class. It’s like a you are a family, we shared a lot of stories and became very close with them and our instructors. We had a lot of fun every day in our class.”

Avelina found employment at Swan Evergreen Village by Origin, a senior’s centre in Calgary’s Evergreen community.

“It’s not an easy job, but it’s a rewarding job,” she says. “You can sometimes have volatile patients, so you do need to have patience for them. But you have those patients that say thank you after you take care of them, feed them, and just assist them in their daily activities. It’s a different happiness in your heart.”

Avelina says her life now is much different now than before coming to MaKami. “I have more confidence, and I feel it has helped makes me a better person.”

In fact, she loved the school so much, Avelina decided to also take the Advanced Clinical Massage Therapy program!

But we will save that story for another article and video! Keep your eye on our website and social media to learn more about that story soon.

Congratulations on your bright future Avelina! Thank you for being part of the MaKami Family!