Herzing Blog

Photo: Chika Modozie (far left) standing with local community members (Source: cbc.ca)

Chika Modozie started out with a degree in business administration, but she always knew business wasn’t her true calling. She wanted a career where she could help people in need.

After immigrating to Canada almost 10 years ago, Chika found herself looking at new training options. She landed in Herzing’s Community Support Worker (CSW) program, which completely changed the course of her life.

Now, Chika works as a police officer in a special outreach unit focused on crime prevention and community building.

We interviewed her about her experience in community support worker training and how her career path unfolded since graduation.

Find out what to expect in class, learn more about the social services field, and see if this career is right for you.

Updated December 2023

Looking to become an addiction counsellor? Improving the lives of people battling problems with drugs or alcohol can be immensely rewarding.

And the need for these professionals is higher than ever. Canada saw more than 3,500 opiod-related deaths in the first half of 2022 alone. And a recent report says deaths due to alcohol grew by 18 per cent in Canada between 2020 and 2021--the biggest yearly increase in the last two decades.

But what does it take to become an addiction counsellor? How can you get started in this field?

In this post, we provide a clear breakdown of the training and skills every addiction counsellor needs. Here's what you need to know.

Updated January 2024

Looking for a career in healthcare and think you'd make a good medical office administrator (MOA)?

Your most important first step is to find a good MOA course. You need effective, hands-on training in the computer software, clinical, and health office skills today's employers want.

The quality of your training will determine your ability to get hired after graduation. Obviously, you want to find the best possible course and make a smart investment. But there are so many MOA courses out there. How do you compare them? What key features should you look for? 

This post is here to help. We outline the most important traits of a top-quality MOA program. By the end, you'll know exactly what to notice and what questions to ask admissions.

Let's get started.

Updated December 2023

Are you looking for a career where you can get involved in your community, help people in need, and create a more fair and just social system?

Welcome to the world of social work. Social work is all about human rights, social justice, and making sure everyone has access to opportunities and support.

There are many ways to start a career in this field. If you don't want to spend years in university earning a degree, you can pursue social services training at the college level.

For example, you can become a community services worker (CSW). It takes no more than 12 months to complete a CSW diploma. Many programs include an internship, so you'll get real work experience at a community organization before you graduate.

But short training isn't the only thing to consider. It takes a special skillset to succeed in the social services field. Is it a good fit for you? How can you know for sure?

In this post, we'll guide you through some key questions to ask yourself.

Find out what to expect at work, what is involved in social services training, and whether this career makes sense for you.

Let's get started.

When Amalia Aplaon immigrated to Canada from the Philippines in 2019, she already had a bachelor's degree and a caregiver certificate. But she quickly realized that without Canadian credentials, it would be much harder to find a good job in health care.

So, after spending years as a stay-at-home mom, Amalia took on the challenge of returning to school. She enrolled in medical office assistant (MOA) training, completed her practicum, and graduated just as COVID-19 was sweeping across the country.

The pandemic caused a hiring freeze at many clinics, making finding a job very difficult for new MOA graduates. But Amalia persevered and in just one and half months, she got hired as a primary care assistant.

We interviewed Amalia to learn more about her experience at Herzing and what it's like to transition from full-time mom to full-time healthcare professional.

Read on for the full story.

Photo: Shannon McGrath in her personal support worker uniform

After working at Tim Hortons for 18 years, Shannon McGrath was ready for a change.

She wanted a job with more meaning. She wanted a career that felt challenging, where she could actually make people's lives better.

So, despite deep fears about returning to school, Shannon took a leap of faith and enrolled in the Personal Support Worker program at Herzing College Ottawa.

She struggled with a learning disability and battled with anxiety, but in the end, Shannon made it through.

In fact, she was so successful, she was offered a PSW job after her internship at Cité Parkway Retirement Residence, where she still works today.

We interviewed Shannon to get her review of the PSW program. We asked about her experience in class and how she feels about her new career.

Read on for the full story.

Photo: Community outreach workers distributing Naloxone kits to homeless people

Updated December 2024

Are you drawn to a career in social services, but don't know what types of jobs are available in this field? Or maybe you’re interested in becoming a community outreach worker, but need to know more about what the position involves.

You've come to the right place.

In this post, we'll break down exactly what a community outreach worker does, including the training, career options, and skills required for this position.

We'll also look at some recent job postings and salaries, so you can explore descriptions, employers, and typical pay for this work.

Get a complete overview of the profession, and see if becoming a community outreach worker is right for you.

Image: Volunteering and hands-on training are core components of a quality CSW course

Updated February 2024

Planning to become a community support worker (CSW)? You're on track to a rewarding career with many different job options.

Community services is a challenging, diverse, and quickly growing field. CSWs work in front-line roles, supporting vulnerable populations and helping people lead healthier more independent lives.

So how do you get started?

Your first step is find a quality community support worker course. There are quite a few colleges across Canada that offer this program. How do you know which one to choose?

While you should certainly take the time to do your own research, there are a few key factors that every good community support worker course should offer.

In this post, we outline all the features you should look for when researching CSW training options.

After reading, you will be much better prepared to find a great program to launch your career.

Updated December 2023

You’ve landed on this page because you’re interested in a career in healthcare. You’re drawn to roles where you can really help people and make a meaningful difference in their lives, but you don’t want to spend years at university earning a degree. 

Community support worker (CSW) and health care aide (HCA) are two excellent alternatives. Both are front-line roles with positive impact. Both are in demand. And you can train for either career in 12 months or less. 

Which path should you choose? Which role suits you best? 

In this post, we’ll walk you through the main differences between community support workers and health care aides. You will learn how training, job responsibilities, skills, and career options vary between these two roles. By the end, you’ll know which path is right for you and exactly how to get started. 

Updated January 2024

Do you look forward to your doctor and dentist appointments? Probably not. In fact, if you’re like most people, you find the whole process pretty stressful.  Let’s face it—the clinic isn’t really our favourite place to be.   

But a skilled and friendly medical office assistant (MOA) can make a huge difference when you're feeling anxious. MOAs are the first person we interact with at our appointments, and they can set the tone for the whole visit.  

They do a lot of important work both up front and behind the scenes to ensure the clinic runs smoothly and feels less stressful.

Your daily routine will vary a bit, depending on where you work (type of clinic, hospital, etc.). But there are certain procedures you will perform on a regular basis no matter where you work. 

Here's a look at a typical day for a medical office assistant.