LabQuest Program Introduces Youth to Health Careers in Labrador-Grenfell Zone

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services is celebrating another successful LabQuest program, a one-week summer initiative designed for high school students in the Labrador-Grenfell Zone who are interested in pursuing a career in health care. This year’s session welcomed 12 students from grades nine to 12 and took place in Happy Valley-Goose Bay from August 5 to August 9, 2024.

“The LabQuest program is an incredible opportunity for local youth to dive into the world of health care through hands-on education and job shadowing,” said Gail Hughes, human resources manager at NL Health Services – Labrador-Grenfell Zone. “LabQuest offers a richer, more immersive experience than what you would find at a typical career fair, helping students explore and connect with health-care careers right here in our region.”

The program, developed in 2022, is a part of NL Health Services long-term recruitment strategy to increase the number of health-care professionals in the province. Throughout the week, students meet with health providers and receive presentations, tour sites, participate in job shadowing exercises or other hands-on learning activities. Students also research and present on a health-related topic, helping them learn more about specific health fields. The program is supported and funded by the International Grenfell Association (IGA) and is open to students residing in Labrador or on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. Since its inception, the LabQuest program has welcomed 42 participants.

“On behalf of NL Health Services, I am pleased with the interest and impact of the LabQuest program,” said Nadine Calloway, senior director, primary health care and community services, with NL Health Services – Labrador-Grenfell Zone. “By encouraging youth to explore careers in health care in their communities—such as laboratory medicine, public health, rehabilitation, respiratory therapy, acute care, community care, and much more—we are making a long-term investment in the future health professionals to enhance health-care services for the people of the region.”

The LabQuest program demonstrates NL Health Services’ commitment to stabilizing its workforce and has been well-received by participants. It promotes careers in health care among students and youth by building partnerships to encourage local talent to stay in the province to meet the health-care needs of the communities of Newfoundland and Labrador

“My dream is to be a surgeon, and the LabQuest program showed me that there are a lot of opportunities for me,” said Katie Simmonds, 2024 LabQuest participant. “I enjoyed learning more about what it means to be a doctor through job shadowing health providers as they did their jobs. I would absolutely recommend this program to other students.”

L-R: Jasmine Day, registered nurse, and Katie Simmonds, LabQuest student.

NL Health Services continues to undertake various recruitment initiatives. These efforts include:

• targeting the recruitment of internationally educated health professionals through grants, bursaries and other incentive programs;
• fostering relationships with secondary and post-secondary institutions;
• supporting faster pathways to employment and licensure to working as a full-time nurse for provincial, national, and international applicants;
• participating in career fairs and partnering with schools to offer educational opportunities and promoting NL Health Services as an employer of choice; and
• working in collaboration with the provincial government to support the Work in Health NL

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