Herzing Blog

Updated March 2023

Considering becoming a health care aide (HCA)? The personalized support HCAs offer patients makes this career path particularly rewarding—and increasingly important.

As Canada's population ages, demand for in-home and daily health care support is on the rise. But working as a health care aide is challenging. It takes resilience, physical and emotional stamina, and a clear understanding of how to provide safe and effective patient care.

Read on to discover 10 of the most important hard and soft skills you'll need to succeed in this career.

Updated January 2023

Enrolled in PSW training and nearing the end of your diploma? It's likely you're looking ahead to your employment options after graduation, and for support systems to help get your career rolling.

If you live in Ontario, you've probably heard of the Ontario Personal Support Worker Association—OPSWA.  It's an organization new grads and experienced PSWs can join to get professional support, and push for greater recognition for PSWs across the province.

But what exactly does OPSWA do, how might you benefit from joining the network, and what does it take to get a membership?

Updated December 2023

Prospective employers want to learn a number of things about you during a business admin job interview.

They'll be considering your personality and how you'd fit with the team, your technical skills, your experience in similar roles, your trustworthiness, and of course, the "soft" skills that are so important in business admin—communication, organization, problem solving, etc.

How will they get to the heart of your qualifications and overall suitability for the job? By asking questions. A lot of questions!

Updated December 2023

Can you guess how many emails the average business person sends and receives in a single day?

Market research from the Radicati Group says we've reached about 124 emails per day. And that number keeps getting higher every single year.

Even before COVID, there was a growing number of people working remotely.  And since the pandemic, work from home has become the new normal.

That's a lot of emailing!

If you're considering becoming an office assistant, you can rest assured that one of your primary tasks will be to sort through, respond to, and send out emails. 

Consider this: There may be certain colleagues and clients you never even meet face to face, and only communicate with over email. Their impression of you (and the company you represent) will be formed entirely on the basis of your emails. So it's worth taking note of a few do's and don'ts!

Start with this list of six golden rules of email etiquette for administrative assistants.

Updated December 2023

One of the first questions students ask when considering a college program is, "What kinds of jobs can I get with this diploma?" Since many people pursue college training to launch a new career or improve their current prospects, this question is both valid and necessary.

Genuine interest in a program of study is key, but only part of the equation. It's crucial for people to map out where a diploma will take them post-study, and how they'll make the often challenging transition from student to professional.

Demand for procurement specialists, purchasing agents and officers is steady from coast-to-coast in Canada, according to the latest data from the Government of Canada Job Bank. 

Waves of retirements, a shortage of trained job candidates, and growth in the supply chain industry is creating opportunities for new grads in this role—and in other areas of supply chain management, such as logistics and transportation and materials/inventory sourcing.

Considering heading back to school to earn a supply chain management diploma? Wondering what kinds of career paths you might pursue after training?

Updated January 2023

Looking ahead to your job options after PSW college? Still deciding which kind of healthcare setting would best suit your particular preferences and skillset?

Two of the most common employers for PSWs are nursing homes and home care companies. While personal support workers provide similar services in both work environments, there are some unique differences students should be aware of. 

Updated December 2023

Federal government data shows that 10% to 15% of Canadian seniors suffer from depression. And that number is far higher among those in residential care.

Unfortunately, lack of awareness and stigmatization ensures that many cases of geriatric depression go unreported, undiagnosed, and untreated.

Community support workers (CSWs) are not trained to treat elderly clients with depression or make a clinical diagnosis—however, if CSWs can identify the warning signs, they can quickly intervene and connect those clients with potentially life-saving health care services.

This kind of early intervention is key. There are many treatments available for seniors battling depression, including counselling, medication, psychotherapy, and newer forms of brain stimulation. Once diagnosed, depression is highly treatable.

CSWs are front-line health care professionals who often work closely with elderly clients. They have a unique opportunity to help reverse the negative trend of geriatric depression in Canada. The best place to start is by learning how seniors are impacted by this mood disorder, and which warning signs to watch for.

Updated December 2023

What should early childhood educators (ECEs) know about ADHD in preschool-age children?

Let's start with the fundamentals. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder that breaks down into three different categories:

1) Predominately inattentive (previously referred to as ADD)

2) Predominately hyperactive (very rare)

3) Combined (most prevalent)

According to the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada, ADHD is the most prevalent childhood neurodevelopmental disorder. More than five per cent of all schoolchildren have ADHD.

Updated January 2024

Medical office administrators (MOAs) are some of the world's best "jugglers." This is truly a multi-faceted role that requires a special balance of interpersonal, customer service, and administrative skills.

Medical admins interact closely with patients and other clinicians. They handle billing. They keep track of inventory and order supplies. MOAs assist with minor clinical procedures, manage patient records, and arrange appointments.