Personal Support Worker students pose for a class photo at Herzing College Ottawa

Summary: Use this helpful checklist to compare Personal Support Worker courses near you. Find a high quality program that fully prepares you for a successful career.

It’s an excellent time to become a personal support worker (PSW) in Ontario. Demand is high for PSWs all across the province—and is expected to stay that way for the foreseeable future. 

Personal support workers are needed at hospitals, nursing homes, and private home-care companies throughout Ontario.

They play an absolutely crucial role in caring for people who need help with everyday living—including those with cognitive impairment, physical disabilities, and mental health challenges. 

Considering becoming a personal support worker? You're on track to start a rewarding career with plenty of employment opportunities.

Your first step is to find a good Personal Support Worker course that will fully prepare you for life on-the-job. What should you look for when comparing training programs?

Krizia Mae Macusi at Hillel Lodge where she was hired as a Personal Support Worker after graduating from Herzing last May.

Personal Support Workers have been in the spotlight recently, along with other essential health care providers working on the front lines during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Personal Support Workers (PSWs) help care for our seniors in long-term care facilities, retirements homes, and hospitals. They also make home visits, to help people with special needs live safely and independently in their own residences.

Residents of Hillel Lodge, the only charitable, Jewish, faith-based long-term care facility in Eastern Ontario

As most people know, the COVID-19 crisis has been particularly stressful and dangerous for elderly citizens in long-term care facilities. 

Older people with weakened immune systems or pre-existing health conditions are more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.  

Meanwhile, social distancing rules have also taken a toll, isolating seniors from family and friends, and restricting their participation in community activities. 

Never have we relied so heavily on the dedication, skill, and compassion of long-term health care professionals to keep our loved ones safe and well. Nurses, care home staff, and personal support workers are on the front-lines of this struggle.