Ontario College Certificate in Personal Support Worker
Start Dates:
September 2018
Cobourg Campus (PWL)
January 2019
May 2019
The Personal Support Worker program gives you the training and credentials to provide practical support services to individuals and families in need of help. It's a satisfying, people-focused career.
Program Highlights
As a graduate of the Personal Support Worker program, you will provide support services to individuals and families in need of assistance. With this satisfying, people-focused career, you will be prepared to assist children, adults, and seniors with special needs or disabilities, and help them maximize their life experience. You can start the program in September or January.
This two-semester Personal Support Worker program may particularly appeal to those re-entering the workforce. In total, you'll get approximately 400 hours of relevant theory and approximately 300 hours of real-life, clinical training. The focus of this program is on:
- lab components throughout both semesters
- hands-on, task-oriented skills and practice time
- course content related to long term care and to community care to diversify your experience
- innovative new lab facilities that simulate the work environment
- more theory related to practice
NOTE: The clinical placement agency will request that you submit a current police records check, including vulnerable sector. Applicants who have been convicted of an offense under the criminal code for which they have not been pardoned may be denied the opportunity to enter clinical placement.
Why Choose Fleming
The College ensures the program follows ministry guidelines, and as such, the program is widely recognized by agencies and related employers. There's a consistently high, over 90 per cent employment rate for graduates of this program -- you might be hired before you finish the course.
"The course load, teachers and curriculum exceeded my expectations. I was challenged by some of the curriculum, which I greatly enjoyed. I also felt like I belonged. I completed 180 placement hours, and it was as if my textbook was coming to life. The placements were absolutely educational and equipped us for the actual job."
Lindsay Barr, Program Graduate
St. Joseph's at Fleming
St. Joseph's at Fleming is the first long-term care facility built on a college or university campus. Students from more than 20 programs participate in clinical field practice, applied research, and volunteer initiatives within or associated with the facility, located on the Peterborough campus.
Personal Support Worker Bridge to Practical Nursing
Fleming College now offers a bridge program for Personal Support Worker (PSW) graduates to meet admission requirements for entry to the Practical Nursing program:
- To be eligible for the bridge program, you must present an official transcript indicating that you are a Personal Support Worker graduate
- After successfully completing the required part-time courses, PSWs will be eligible to enter into second semester of Fleming College's full-time Practical Nursing program at the college’s campus in Peterborough in January every year. There is room for 30 bridging students to enter the Practical Nursing program.
The bridge program for PSWs who graduated with an Ontario College Certificate in or after 2006 is generally 2 courses. For all other PSW graduates, the bridge program is typically 5 or 6 courses. Your application will be assessed to determine which bridge courses you need and if you are eligible for any exemptions.
See the Personal Support Worker Bridge to Practical Nursing page for more information.
Is this You?
You have a desire to work with and care for people of all ages to assist them to attain their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs. The following personality traits and skills would also be an asset in your studies and eventual career:
- empathy
- concern for improving others' quality of life
- respect for cultural differences and family dynamics
- excellent interpersonal skills
- self-discipline
- good oral communication skills
- good physical health
Volunteer work experience of any kind is an asset, as is any previous experience caring for people of differing needs and abilities. Students would benefit by having basic computer skills including e-mail, word processing, file management and web browsing.
Career Opportunities
Choose from a variety of work settings:
- long-term care facilities
- group homes
- community agencies
- hospitals
- schools
- day care centres (children or adults)
- home care agencies
Related Programs
If you want to work with people to maximize their quality of life, you might also want to consider either the Practical Nursing or Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant programs.
Health and Non Academic Requirements
Immunization Requirements
Your program has mandatory immunization requirements that include a "pre-entry" deadline date for submission. For more information, and to print a copy of the immunization form, please see the Immunization Information page.
Non Academic Requirements
Your program has mandatory requirements which may include a criminal reference check, first aid, CPR-C, etc. For more information, please see the Non Academic Requirements page.
Failure to provide any of the required Non Academic Field Requirements by the specified due date will result in an inability to participate in the mandatory placement components of the program.
Minimum Admission Requirements
Students applying to Personal Support Worker must meet the following requirements:
- OSSD with majority of credits at the Workplace (E) level including Gr 12 (E)English
Where Workplace level courses are listed, C, U and M courses will be accepted.
For programs requiring a majority of credits at the Workplace level, OLC4O will be counted as an acceptable English course.
Mature Students
If you are 19 years of age or older before classes start, and you do not possess an OSSD, you can write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test to assess your eligibility for admission. Additional testing or academic upgrading may be necessary to meet specific course requirements for this program.
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