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It seems that everywhere you look you'll find a new personal support worker sprouting up (that is if you're looking at possible career courses). So how does one go about choosing the right course? While it isn't exactly rocket science there are a few small tips & tricks to picking the right course. Look below, for that is where the answers sit.
There are four main considerations when deciding which course to take. They are Cost, Course Length, Location and Prestige.
Sidebar: All personal support worker (psw) courses in the province on Ontario are essentially the same. They all have to follow guidelines set forth by the government
of Ontario.
I think it's safe to say that most things in life come down to money. Choosing a PSW course shouldn't be any different or should it? Usually the cost of a personal support worker is determined by what type of institution that you enroll in. What do I mean by institution? Colleges, learning centres and technical colleges (think Devry/Evrest) are all considered learning institutions. Colleges are almost always the most expensive option, with courses usually costing $4000. Technical colleges are second, coming in at around $3000 per course. The cheapest option is a learning centre (think of a night course school, GED location, etc). Courses are learning centres vary from $1000 to $2000. Courses in all three institutions are the same, as mandated by the government of Ontario.
Length of Course
Along with cost this is one of the key considerations before selecting where to take your course. Length typically varies by the amount of work load. So a ten month course will try to cramp everything in, while a two year (really 16 month) course will give you a little more time to take in the material. I've even heard of new five month courses (holy homework!). Determine what type of student you are before selecting a course length. Are you a quick learner? Do you have a lot or a little time to study? Of course we also have monetary considerations. Do you need the income from a personal support worker position? Are there any of time issues? You will need to take all of these into account when selecting a course length.
Location
This can also factor into the cost section. Sometimes it may be easier for your work schedule, transportation, etc to pay a little bit more for a closer by class. Also if this could be an issue ask the school where co-op placements may be, if they are near public transportation, etc.
Prestige
Let's face it, a college's name on a certificate will carry more prestige than a local learning centre. College completion also allows students access to libraries, databases, networking opportunities etc. The reality is that those are the most realistic benefits of a college certificate. I've yet to hear of an employer that has hired one person over another due solely to where a certificate came from.
There we have it. These are the four main considerations that prospective students should consider before selecting a personal support worker school. The next step? Finding a school that meets these criteria near you.
Back in 1997 the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training combined to create new program standards for workers that "provide personal care and support to people living at home and in long-term care facilities."
At the beginning of the 1997 school year a number of previous courses were combined into and governed under what is now today known as the "personal support worker training outcomes and module outlines standards."
Previously training for what are now considered personal support worker jobs feel under the umbrella of a number of courses. These courses consisted of home support worker levels I, II, and III training, along with a Health Care Aid course and finally Personal Attendant courses. Students enrolled in these courses in September and prior years were allowed to continue their studies, as the new standard applied to only new courses being offered from January 1st 1997 and on.
That takes care of the dry portion. So how come other provinces aren't jumping on the personal support guidelines bandwagon?
Since the personal support worker program is governed by the province of Ontario the degree has more value within Ontario than outside of it. Other provinces have different guidelines, training and rules. In Manitoba for example the tasks that an Ontario PSW carries out are handled by a "Health Care Aid". The system is less regulated in Manitoba. A student may acquire a health care aid certificate from certain employers while on the job at their facility. This makes it simpler to obtain a degree and in turn forces down the average wage.
According to research carried out by Payscale Ontario support worker pay is $14.75 per hour on average. In other "lightly" regulated provinces average pay is approximately three dollars per hour lower, with New Brunswick ($11.25), Saskatchewan ($11.33) and Manitoba ($11.62) being used in the research study.
While having an Ontario personal support worker certificate should help one obtain employment outside of Ontario there is no guarantee that it will help a prospective worker obtain a higher wage. This is the trade-off for going outside of the province. The program was designed to regulate program and work standards across Ontario. Accidentally (or possibly on purpose) by having the course and training set-up in this fashion, the province of Ontario has made it undesirable for personal support workers to leave the province. Unlike other various trade school, college or university degrees which allow flexibility and freedom of movement throughout the entire nation with little to no potential "degree erosion", an Ontario personal support worker certificate holds most of its value within the province of Ontario.
This could be seen as a negative but if you have no desire or need to venture elsewhere within Canada or abroad then the program's benefits, short start to finish time (typically courses are one year in length), and high wages make becoming a PSW a sound short and long-term career choice.