Interested applicants can now apply for the new accelerated personal support worker (PSW) program at Georgian College. The program, recently announced by the provincial government, will provide funding to cover tuition and compulsory ancillary fees.

“We’ll have 148 seats available, which will be delivered at most Georgian campuses with intakes in April and May,” said Sheila West, Dean, Health, Wellness and Sciences, Georgian College. “The accelerated program greatly expands the opportunities to train as a PSW at Georgian. It will also help us attract local students who want to pursue a career in health care and help to meet the demand for more personal support workers in our communities.”

The accelerated PSW program will be delivered at the Barrie, Midland, Muskoka (Bracebridge), Orangeville, Owen Sound and South Georgian Bay (Collingwood) campuses. It’s a limited, one-time offer available during April and May 2021 only. Offers will be granted to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis, interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately– especially for the intake starting April 5.

The campus locations and intake dates are:

• April 5 for Barrie, Midland, Muskoka (Bracebridge) and Orangeville
• May 10 for Barrie, Owen Sound and South Georgian Bay (Collingwood)

“At our Midland Campus, we’re converting a classroom into a temporary lab by adding four hospital beds and borrowing some equipment from the PSW lab in Barrie until the April cohort is complete,” added West.

The accelerated program allows students to fulfil program requirements more quickly by increasing the number of study hours per week. It will be offered in a hybrid format with both in-person and remote learning. There will be one three-hour in-person lab in the first semester, while the rest of the program will be delivered remotely. Students will participate in paid work placements after three months. Graduates will enter the workforce with full credentials after just six months.

“PSWs are an integral part of the health-care team and the backbone of care in Ontario,” said Dr. MaryLynn West-Moynes, President and CEO, Georgian College. “The pandemic has proven there simply aren’t enough of them. At Georgian, we’re prepared to partner with the government and our local health providers to deliver quality training through an in-depth, hands-on accelerated format to get PSW professionals in our long-term care and acute care facilities at this crucial time.”

Applications will be accepted through ontariocolleges.ca/psw beginning March 8. More information can be found at GeorgianCollege.ca/psw.

source: media release, Georgian College