Durham College continues to train Personal Support Workers through accelerated program

Program takes six months to complete and includes fully-funded tuition and ancillary fees

Oshawa, ON – Following the success of Durham College’s (DC) Personal Support Worker (PSW) Accelerated program in 2021, the college will launch a new intake beginning Monday, June 27 to continue to educate future healthcare workers. Similar to the 2021 intakes, tuition and ancillary fees for accepted students in the June 2022 intake will be covered by the Ontario government, with students having the ability to graduate within six months with full PSW credentials.

The accelerated program is delivered in a hybrid model that combines remote learning with in-person laboratory classes and hands-on activities in care settings, providing important experiential learning opportunities to students. After three months, students will also participate in a paid work placement.

“Now more than ever, our health-care system is relying on Durham College to quickly and efficiently deliver on the exceptional education DC is known for to prepare well-trained and compassionate graduates for work in the PSW field,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, Academic, DC. “By offering additional intakes of this highly successful program, our students have the opportunity to explore a dynamic and in-demand field while making a difference and leading the way in their community.”

PSWs are front-line care providers whose responsibilities focus on the personal care and support that include activities of daily living with client populations across institutional, community care and service settings. They provide client-centred care to enhance and maintain the quality of everyday life. Through dedicated faculty, enhanced curriculum, skills and certifications obtained in the course of study, and implementation of several interprofessional education and simulation opportunities, and access to valuable community partners, students will graduate well-prepared and career-ready.

Students who are currently enrolled in the winter 2022 intake of the traditional PSW program, as well as those planning to enroll for fall 2022 are eligible to receive a $2,000 bursary to support their studies.

More information about the PSW Accelerated program, including admission requirements, answers to FAQs, and details to apply can be found online.

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About Durham College
With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, Durham College (DC) offers over 11,400 full-time students access to more than 140 post-secondary programs, including three honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs.

DC enables students to develop career-ready skills for the ever-changing job market by providing an exceptional college education. With a focus on experiential learning, led by expert faculty, through field placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need.

At the Oshawa campus, the Centre for Collaborative Education brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, featuring the Durham College Spa, Rotary Global Classroom and interprofessional simulation and anatomy labs. The campus is also home to four of the college’s applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and Social Impact Hub. Additionally, the flexible, fully automated, and industrial-grade Integrated Manufacturing Centre serves as a model of the new standards in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and engineering education.

At DC’s Whitby campus, the new 60,000-square-foot Ontario Power Generation Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology shines a spotlight on industrial skilled trades training, innovation and education, and includes a double-height shop lab, new classrooms and student touchdown spaces, among other features. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which is home to the award-winning full-service restaurant, Bistro ’67; retail store, Pantry, featuring food grown and prepared by students; and the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and its community-inspired urban farm.

Media contact:
Shelly Totino
Communications and Marketing
m: 905.626.0675
shelly.totino@durhamcollege.ca