Debbie

Our fourth scenario involves Debbie, who is employed in a minimum wage job in a retail store. Debbie is worried about her future and is thinking about going back to school. She thinks she may be interested in some type of medical technician or nursing position, if she could obtain the appropriate qualifications. She is a 25-year-old single mother of a 7-year-old child. She has a high-school diploma but she does not have grade 12 chemistry or biology.

Of all our potential learners, Debbie has the most ambitious academic goals and will face the highest costs. Because nursing requires a four year degree program rather than a shorter and more inexpensive diploma program, her tuition costs will be more than double those of the other learners (except in Québec where tuition fees are much lower). Moreover, Debbie will likely face the additional costs of obtaining the necessary prerequisites. Most science-based programs such as nursing or nuclear medicine technician require students to have a number of grade 12 science and math courses. While most provinces offer tuition-free high-school credit courses to adults without a high-school diploma, adults who already have a diploma may have to pay for additional courses. Given that Debbie works in retail, she is unlikely to receive any support from her employer. Adding to this, Debbie faces the additional barrier of needing to find childcare while she is attending classes. Because Debbie has a dependent, she would be eligible for a Canada Study Grant of $3,210 if she studies full-time, or $1,920 if she studies part-time. In all provinces she would likely be eligible for a student loan. In Alberta, because Debbie has a dependent child, she may be eligible for funds to cover part-time or full-time training if she can demonstrate financial needs. None of the other provinces have any specific programs to support single mothers who wish to return to school if they are already working.