Lorraine Dick

BTE Student Stories

Creating a strong Bridge to Employment (BTE) program isn’t always easy. It requires grit and determination, but BTE can bring together a community, and possibly a region, to prepare a new generation of healthcare workers.

Lorraine Dick knows about grit and determination. In the Highlands of Scotland, where communities are remote and the workforce development opportunities are few and far between, Lorraine was charged with establishing and maintaining new community and education partners. Lorraine took that job seriously, and was essential in the planning and implementation of BTE – Inverness, Scotland.

Lorraine has been responsible for external partnerships, planning and facilitating steering group meetings, and organizing events for BTE students. She recruited the original partner high schools and worked with them throughout the three years to implement the agreement. Rather than select a few nearby partners, Lorraine was determined to provide access to the program to as many students as possible. 19 schools were initially invited with six schools that ultimately participated in the program. Lorraine’s courage and dedication allowed the program to reach over 70 pupils, much greater than if she restricted partners and schools.