Great People Go Far

CEDARSTONE ENHANCED CARE

When Rubilyn Lapatha first moved Canada from the Philippines in October 2010, she settled in Alberta working as a live-in caregiver for a family. Little did she know, in four short years, she would move to Truro, N.S. and start a new career working as a continuing care assistant (CCA).

Her CCA journey began when her then employer made the decision to move to Truro, N.S.

“My employer’s brother knew Ricardo (Garcia), the former site leader at Cedarstone Enhanced Care,” says Rubilyn. “He told Ricardo, his sister’s family was moving to the area and they had a Filipino nanny and it would be great for us to meet and help me to get to know the area.”

Rubilyn contacted Ricardo and they became fast friends. After she finished her contract as a live-in caregiver, Rubilyn talked to Ricardo and some of her nursing friends about growing her career. With their support, she took the next step by completing the Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) Program and successfully passed the exam to become a CCA she then applied for a position at Vimy Court and landed the job. Today, she works at Cedarstone Enhanced Care.

“One of the things I love most about working for Shannex is how supportive the company is,” says Rubilyn. “My husband and I both work full time jobs, so when the COVID-19 pandemic began, I was struggling to find childcare. Shannex was able to accommodate me and changed my shifts so I could work in the evenings to ensure my children were taken care of.”

Looking ahead to the future, Rubilyn aspires to become a licensed practical nurse and one day she would like to become a registered nurse.

Interested in working with Great People like Rubilyn? Learn more about Healthcare and Clinical careers at Shannex and the Work and Learn program.