In recent months, the Government of Ontario has taken drastic, financial measures to stabilize the healthcare workforce. 

Many free programs and incentives have been rolled out to meet the ever-increasing demand for more Personal Support Workers. 

It can be confusing to decide which program or benefit is best for you. 

So…

For your convenience, we have gathered information about all the educational and supportive programs for Personal Support Workers.  

We have compiled everything that the Government has rolled out.

While we think we have done comprehensive research, we may have missed something. 

You can let us know by leaving a comment in the comments section at the end. 

The Demand for PSWs

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential for near-future surges of infection rates, the Government acknowledges the dangers of having a weakened healthcare system due to inefficient staffing and medical support. 

Before the pandemic, medical facilities across Canada have been experiencing a steady decline in available support workers. 

This year, measures have been taken to provide the long-overdue recognition and support that frontline healthcare workers desperately require.

As of September 2020, the Government has invested roughly $50 million in order to support, recruit, and retain frontline healthcare workers specifically for vulnerable populations in long-term care homes.  

This includes nurses, personal support workers, and other relevant workers who care for seniors and long-term care residents. 

The Government has also committed to investing millions upon millions more as part of the COVID-19 preparedness plan.

For this post, we are focusing on the ever-growing need for more personal support workers (PSWs) and the latest Government initiatives being used to build the healthcare workforce. 

If you have been thinking of working in Canadian healthcare and becoming a personal support worker, the time could not be better.

Why the Government Intervention?

Over the past several years, there has been a lot of hue and cry for the need to revamp the Personal Support Worker industry.

There was a need for Government intervention to support the PSW profession and recognize PSWs as essential members of the Canadian healthcare system, especially in the long-term care sector. 

It finally happened with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Government at various levels have realized how important a role PSWs play in delivering essential services to those in need. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a massive staffing void in Canadian healthcare, largely contributed by budget constraints. 

As the pandemic hit, the situation became dire with facilities scrambling to hire more healthcare workers. 

The Government finally realized that personal support workers are the backbone of Canadian healthcare and for the delivery of services that matter the most. 

Filling the Void

Over the past few months, Governments at various levels have launched programs to educate, hire and retain PSWs. 

There are free PSW educational programs being offered, an abundance of job opportunities, and incentives to continue to work in the field. 

Federal and Provincial Funding

PSW programs are being funded both at the federal and provincial levels.

There is a program funded by the Government of Canada and then there is a much larger program funded by the Government of Ontario.

Registration for the Government of Ontario-funded accelerated PSW program is now open. 

Click here to view further details and how to register.

It is important for you to realize the differences between various programs.

All the available programs, benefits, and incentives are listed here. 

List of Ontario Government Funded PSW Programs

Funded Programs and You

Here you will find descriptions of all the programs mentioned in the list above with links to more in-depth resources.

Train and Recruit 8200 PSWs

This is a new fully funded, accelerated program that allows you to become a Personal Support Worker in 6 months.

The program is offered through publically funded community colleges. 

There is an initial, non-refundable application fee of $95 but beyond that, there is no other cost. 

There may be some other costs to obtain your vulnerable screening. 

Textbooks are covered under the program. 

The program is split into two parts, theory, and field placement. 

The theory component may be in-class or online. 

The paid field placement is for 3 months. 

Across Ontario, 6000 students will be accepted into this program. 

Registration for this program is now open. 

You can click here to find where you can take this program and how to apply. 

Train and Recruit 373 PSWs

Before the above program was launched, the Ontario Government had rolled out a much smaller program to train and recruit 373 PSWs. 

This was clearly not enough!

Moreover, the program was offered through private partnerships with very few spots across Ontario. 

As a result, many people were unable to get into the program. 

You can click here to learn more about this program. 

$2000 Incentive for Existing Students

The Government of Ontario is offering a $2000 incentive to students who are currently enrolled in PSW programs. 

You must be enrolled at a publically-funded community college. 

There are qualification criteria for this incentive depending upon when you started the program. 

It is best that you check with your College to see if you are eligible to receive this $2000 incentive. 

Students taking PSW program at private career colleges, unfortunately, do not qualify for this incentive. 

Click here to view further details about this incentive. 

$5000 Return of Service Incentive

The Personal Support Worker Return of Service (PSW ROS) Initiative provides new PSW graduates with a $5,000 incentive in exchange for a six-month commitment in eligible long-term care or with a home and community care employer. 

The bonus is provided in two installments, the first $2,000 given after two months and the last $3,000 after completion of the six-month contract period. 

Employers have to submit a PSW ROS application along with their PSW job posting in order to seek qualification for this bonus initiative. 

Ontario Health reviews and approves the application, and both the employer and newly recruited PSWs must sign contractual agreements. 

New graduates can search for job opportunities for the approved bonus with Health Force Ontario. 

Do note that, not all new PSW jobs qualify for the incentive. 

The job you have applied to must be associated with the incentive and posted through HFO. 

Click here to see if you’re eligible for the return of service incentive.

Resident Support Aide Program

Due to the increasing shortage of staff in medical facilities designed to support elderly patients, the Government of Ontario is looking to remedy the current situation by recruiting residential support aides (RSAs) through the “Ontario Workforce Reserve for Senior Support”.

This is an initiative to help recruit individuals to provide support in long-term care homes.

Anyone who is unemployed or temporarily displaced from a healthcare position during the pandemic can apply to become a Resident Support Aide.

Recruitment is currently focused on regions that have been most affected by the pandemic but will be expanded to other areas of the province.

This is also a free program and requires you to complete a short online educational component.

You will be paid for the online training.

Once you have completed the training, you become eligible to work in long-term care homes as a Resident Support Aide.

It is important for you to understand that the Resident Support Aide program, is a Resident Support Aide program!

It will not qualify you to become a Personal Support Worker. 

If you’re considering this role, you can set up a profile through the Ontario Matching Portal to receive training and to be placed in facilities where help is most needed.

Interested individuals must qualify to work in Canada and do not necessarily have to have a background in healthcare to apply.

Click here to learn more about this program.

Keep in mind that the Resident Support Aide is not equivalent to a Personal Support Worker. 

Here are the key differences between the two. 

The PSW Work for Life Initiative

The “Work for Life” campaign, started by Home Care Ontario and the Ontario Community Support Association (OSCA), provides awareness about Personal Support Workers.

The website information is offered in multiple languages and contact information is readily available. 

This includes everything from the application process to certification programs to effectively searching for newly posted job opportunities. 

This campaign is being used to inform individuals about the benefits of working as a PSW in order to combat both the decreased staff support and the rapidly growing, aging population nationwide.

Click here to learn more about this initiative.

The Federal Government Funded PSW Program

The Federal Government is investing approximately $23 million to fund an accelerated PSW program facilitated through the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan). 

The program is free to new students and is comprised of a six-week online training and a 4-month paid work placement in-home health or long-term care. 

The goal is to infuse the workforce with 4,000 new PSWs to support elderly patients during and after the demands of COVID-19. 

Prospective students will be able to apply starting in the spring of 2021.

Since the initial announcement, there have been no further updates on this program. 

We will send out an update as soon as the program becomes available for registration. 

Staying Informed

If you’re not already subscribed to PSWHQ, you can do so by filling out the form below. 

We will send you the important updates. 

The Government recognizes the vital roles that PSWs and supportive nursing staff play in caring for elderly patients across Canada. 

All of the aforementioned initiatives, campaigns, and programs are being introduced because the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed several weaknesses in the healthcare system. 

Vulnerable populations do not have enough staff support, and staff who are currently working lack the assistance to handle the novel pandemic stresses combined with everyday work-related tasks.

Although millions of dollars in funding are going towards these new programs in hopes to brace for the pandemic impact, the Government is also looking towards future healthcare support after the dust settles. 

The end goal is to optimize Canada’s healthcare system for both frontline healthcare workers and patients and to prepare the country for whatever may happen in the future.

We will continue to update this page as and when more information on the programs listed here or new programs are announced. 

Subscribe to PSWHQ by filling out the form below to stay informed of all the developments. 

Currently, the Personal Support Worker Association continues to assess the quality of the accelerated program to ensure that students are just as efficiently trained as those attending traditional programs.

So the wait is over. 

Registration for the much-awaited Ontario Government-funded accelerated PSW program is now open!. 

You can also refer to the Ontario Colleges website for any updates. 

Please do note that the funds for taking this program will be directly disbursed to the College.

You will not be receiving any funds from the Government but will be paid for the placement portion of the program.

Mode of Delivery

All the colleges will be offering this program on a full-time basis. 

The theory component of the program may be delivered in-class or online, depending upon the course structure and provincial guidelines around COVID-19. 

Do note that labs and field placement will be in-person. 

Staggered Start

The start for this funded PSW program is being staggered over the months of April, May, and June.

The programs will begin on the following dates:

• April 05, 2021
• May 10, 2021, and 
• June 14, 2021

Ensure that you check the start date of the program you’re applying to.  

List of Colleges Offering the Tuition-Free PSW Program

Here is a list of all the Colleges that are offering the accelerated PSW programs:

(Please note that this list is constantly being updated as more information becomes available)

All accelerated PSW programs are offered on a full-time basis. 

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements may vary from one college to the other.

Apart from some specific requirements that a particular college may require, some of the common admission requirements for the accelerated PSW program are:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status if you’re 19 years of age or older. 
• English Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent 
• Mature student

Mature Student Status

Mature student status may apply to students who:

• Do not have a high school diploma or GED, or 
• Are over the age of 19.

It is a special status granted to those who wish to pursue a college education but have not completed high school. 

Your skills and past experience are taken into consideration.

If you have completed high school a long time ago, you’re considered a high school graduate. 

In this case, you’ll not be considered a mature student. 

If you are a mature student, you may have to go under some sort of admission testing conducted by the college where you have applied.

Field Placement Requirements

While the admission requirements may vary from one College to the other, field placements are almost the same across all Colleges.

Do note that some Colleges may require you to complete additional placement requirements. 

You will not have to fulfill the following requirements prior to admission into the program however they are required prior to the start of your field placement:

• A recent police check, with vulnerable sector screening,
• Immunization record,
• First Aid and CPR (HCP-Healthcare Provider level), and
  
• Mask fit testing.

Resident Status

The tuition-free PSW program is for Canadian permanent residents and Canadian citizens only.

Some colleges, such as St. Lawrence College in Cornwall is offering admission to international students. 

However, 

do note that international students will not receive any Government financial support associated with the program. 

In addition, international students will not be paid for the field placement.

International Students

Some colleges, such as Centennial College, are accepting international students. 

However, 

do note that for international students, the program cost will not be covered.

In addition, you will not be paid for the practicum part of the program. 

Application Fee

There is a non-refundable application fee of $95.00 to apply through Ontario Colleges.

You can apply to 5 different or same programs at different start dates in one application. 

There may be an additional $5 fee for requesting transcripts from other educational institutions and processing the request for a transcript.

Other Costs

Besides the application fee, there may be some additional cost to obtain certain documents required for the field placement such as the police clearance/vulnerable sector check.

Registration Questions 

If you have any questions about anything to do with applying to a particular college, it is best to get in touch with Ontario Colleges. 

There are very easy to reach and very helpful. 

Here is how you can contact them:

Office Hours
Monday to Friday
8:30 am – 4:30 pm ET

Live Chat Hours
Monday to Thursday
8:30 am – 7 pm ET
Friday
8:30 am – 4:30 pm ET

Telephone
519.763.4725
Toll-free in Canada: 1.888.892.2228

Click here to chat live with someone at Ontario Colleges. 

Once you click on the above link, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on the “Chat Now” button.

Your Admission Offer

All the applications are reviewed by the college where you have applied.

The college makes the final decision on admission. 

Once the college has reviewed your application, you may either be:

• Granted admission, 
• Waitlisted, or
• Declined admission.

The decision on your application will be posted to your account with the Ontario College application center under “offers” on the home screen.

Keep in mind to check your account regularly to see the status of your application. 

Contacting the College

If you have any questions regarding the status of your application or you want to contact the college for any reason related to your admission, you can contact the admissions department of the college you have applied to. 

Here is a list of contacts to the admission departments of all the colleges that offer the accelerated PSW training program. 

How to Register/Apply for the Program

Applications for the accelerated PSW program at any of the Colleges will have to be completed through the Ontario Colleges Application Centre.

If you don’t have one, you will have to create an account on the Ontario Colleges website. 

Once you have set up an account, you will be able to search for the accelerated PSW programs.

Very Important

There will be many PSW courses listed on the Ontario Colleges website. 

However, 

they may not qualify for Government funding. 

When you search for the funded Government PSW program, make sure that you type the following in the program search bar:

PSW accelerated

You can then proceed to select the program you wish to apply to.

Or 

you can click on the link below to go to the list of fully funded PSW programs:

Click here to apply to the tuition-free accelerated PSW Program. 

Leave a Comment

You can also leave a comment down below if you have any questions about the application process. 

You can also leave a comment if you have already applied and would like to share something that can help others.

For those who are looking to become a Personal Support Worker (PSW) in Ontario, there are many options to fulfill the necessary requirements before you can start working.

There are PSW programs offered by the Community Colleges, Private Career Colleges and there are many other options to become a Personal Support Worker for free. 

If you prefer online learning, there are many online PSW programs as well. 

Please note that this profession does not fall under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).

This means that unlike Nurses, PSW’s are not regulated and no licensure is required.

However, you do have to obtain a certificate/diploma by completing the PSW course.

PSW Program through District School Board

Out of many options to complete this program, one is through a district school board.

Please note that not all Ontario district school boards offer this program.

There are only 24 school boards that collaborate with C.E.S.B.A. to provide such courses.

C.E.S.B.A. is the Ontario Association of Continuing Education of School Board Administrators that works with public and catholic school boards to develop and run programs geared towards skills development, employment, and continuing education.

District school boards in Ontario offer PSW programs through the Ontario Secondary School (OSS) health technology curriculum and under Cooperative Education Guidelines.

Following is the list of Ontario district school board that offers Personal Support Worker programs.

Please click on the name of the school board to get more details.

Other Options to Complete The PSW Course

As mentioned above, Community and private career colleges also offer PSW diploma and certificate programs.

Please click here to find out which public community colleges and here to find out which private colleges offer Personal Support Worker Diploma programs.

Programs offered by these colleges may vary in program length, curricula, and method of delivery.

Image credit: Used under a Creative Commons Attribution from University of Michigan’s Ford School on Flickr.

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A résumé, in any profession, is a marketing tool and is the first point of contact with a potential employer.

Your résumé is your marketing pitch.

Submitting your résumé is where you start the process of “marketing” you to an employer. 

A good résumé can lead to consideration. A great resume will influence the hiring manager’s decision and lead to an interview.

So, it is necessary to make an excellent first impression that presents you in a positive light and positions you as the best candidate for the job you are applying for.

Further, in the article, you’ll find essential points to keep in mind while putting together your résumé.

You are welcome to use the templates to prepare your résumé.

Before we go into further details, here are some important points to keep in mind when writing your résumé:

The Color and Font

Do not try to get cute or fancy with your résumé.  Stick to one color (preferably black) ink/type, don’t use hard-to-read fonts, and once you settle on a format, stick with that.

Relevance 

Brevity is a must. 

You are condensing your entire professional history into two pages, and you want to make sure that you include the relevant information. 

You can provide a minimal amount and still give a clear picture of who you are and what you can do.

One Does Not Fit All

Realize that some organizations have their set templates for résumés and résumé submissions. 

Don’t grow too attached to the format you have chosen.  It may not fit every organization’s needs and expectations.

Static Résumés Does Not Work

Update your résumé regularly. 

Best practices dictate that as you complete job-relevant training, move within an organization, or receive awards/commendations, you should take out your résumé and update it with the new information.

Flexibility

Some sections of the résumé can be moved to meet your needs.

For example, you can list education before experience or after.  You can record volunteer experience among your work experience or as a separate section.

So let’s talk about it and dive right in!

The Number of Pages

The number of pages in your résumé is vital.

You want one that is long enough to list all your relevant education and experience;

however,

you also don’t want it to be so long that the hiring manager loses interest halfway through.

We recommend a résumé no longer than two (2) pages in length.

The Header

The first item on your résumé will be your contact information, sometimes referred to as a header.

The header should be slightly larger than the body of your résumé; however, it should not take up more than 3.8 cm of space at the top of the page.

The header includes:

• Your name,
• Address,
• Telephone number(s), and
• Email address.

A solid, professional-looking font such as Times New Roman, is sufficient for your header.

Use 18-20 font size for your name.

You can put your name or the entire heading in bold type as well.

This information is crucial.

Your résumé can be a perfect fit for the position; however, if you fail to add your contact information, the potential employer will not know how to get in touch with you.

The Profile Paragraph

This is where you give a brief overview of who you are and what you can bring to the table.

Your tag line is the first part of your sales pitch.  This is the bait that draws the employer in.

In your profile paragraph, you will want to show why you are the best candidate for the position.

You will expand on this in the next sections of the résumé, but this line can make or break you when it comes to sorting the résumés for interviews.

It should not be more than 3-4 lines.

A sample profile paragraph for Personal Support Worker résumé could look something like this:

[Dedicated, passionate, and highly motivated with more than two years of quality experience and an excellent track record in providing compassionate patient care in Long Term Care, Nursing Homes, and community settings. Fully computer literate and proficient in both, paper and computer charting].

Relevant Work Experience

As with your heading, the relevant work experience section is also a crucial piece of your résumé.

This is where you back up your profile paragraph with a more in-depth look at what you have done in the past to support your statement.

You should always start with your current or most recent employment and work your way backward.

Items you need to include in this section are:

• Organization name,
• The dates of employment,
• City and province, and
• Job duties.

Volunteer Experience

It is important that you include as much information as possible while still maintaining a two-page résumé to give that potential employer a clear picture of who you are and what experience you have.

In this section, you can include any volunteer experience, or you can include volunteer experience in a separate section.

Never underestimate the value of volunteer experience.

While you may not have received monetary compensation for the work, you are showing a prospective employer that you are actively involved in your career and your community.

You are showing your prospective employer that you will not only be an asset on the job but will also be a good community ambassador for that organization.

Professional Skills and Accomplishments

The next item on your résumé is the Professional Skills and Accomplishments Section.

This is where you list all the performance awards, exceptional service awards, and other recognition you have received for your work.

This is also where you outline skills where you may not have been formally rewarded, yet still excel in.

The information you provide here shows what makes you an outstanding candidate.

Any awards you have received that are relevant to the position you are applying for should go into this section.

Look at this section as your area to brag a little.

Your accomplishments are no small achievement and should be celebrated.  This is the polish on your sales pitch.

Education/Certificates

The next section is the Education and Certification/Certificates Section. 

This section shows what kind of formal training you have had that makes you the ideal candidate for the position you seek.

This should include any continuing education training you have completed following your graduation from the Personal Support Worker diploma program.

With this section, you should start with the primary training first and then list the continuing education following that. 

All should be in chronological order with the most recent being last.

This is also where you can show training that is not required, but pertinent to, the position you are applying for.

Some examples are courses on nutrition, computer usage, and social activities for the demographic you are working with. 

This is also where you will show you are current in all renewable training such as CPR and First Aid.

You can also take this online training by the University of Toronto. It is a short training and you get a certificate from the University of Toronto.

Reference Section 

Lastly, you may want to list additional references at the end of your résumé. 

There are some pros and cons to including this line.

Be very cautious when using clients or family members of clients as references.

You want to make sure that you have their express, written permission to use them as a reference so you can avoid violating any health care privacy laws.

The additional references could be co-workers, teachers, or others who are highly familiar with your work skills and work ethics.

If you do not wish to list references, but want a potential employer to know that you have such individuals who can attest to your abilities, you can add the line “References Provided Upon Request” or “Additional References Provided Upon Request.”

You do not have to include this line as it is inferred that you would have references.

Again, a good résumé can lead to consideration, but a great résumé will lead to a job interview.

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