This is the ninth in our series of Personal Support Worker Articles;

PSW Article #9: Personal Support Worker Work Placement Requirements

 

Personal Support Worker Work Placement Requirements

All personal support worker courses in Ontario are mandated to include out of the classroom and in the field work experience. What will you have to do to satisfy this course requirement?

Humber College has posted a nice guideline to their personal support worker course offering (available here).

According to the section Work Placement, the first semester of a one year course will include a total of 15 days (120 hours) of eight-hour shifts at a designated support center/home. In the second semester students are moved around to a number of centers/homes in order to gain a variety of experience. The hours for the second semester vary.

On the surface this seems to be a great placement schedule. Students will get to put what they learn into practice quickly and gain practical experience. I personally know that many students gain full or part-time employment through one of the placement centers that they were placed at during their course.

The downside to this system and all like it is that you will be working for free. Some students will complain incessantly about this during placement time. The best way to approach this free work time is that it is part of your education and that down the line you will receive amply payment for this time. Keep an upbeat attitude, network and meet as many of the staff and decision makers as possible and have fun!