To help address labour shortages in the long-term care sector, Fanshawe College’s Corporate Training Solutions (CTS) will offer the Supportive Care Assistant program beginning May 10, 2021. This free, microcredential program is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and is part of Colleges and Institute Canada’s Building Capacity in Long-term Care project.

Supportive Care Assistants provide much-needed support to long-term and home care staff by performing non-clinical duties such as assisting with meals, cleaning and disinfecting, stocking materials, providing companionship to residents and more.

Students enrolled in the Supportive Care Assistant program will receive six weeks of online training and a four-month paid work placement. Courses include professionalism, client and family-centred assistance, communication, supportive assistance and infection control and safety. The program offers the opportunity for people to discover a new career and make a difference in their community while earning a wage. It also provides a career pathway to become fully certified personal support workers and health care aides.

"Fanshawe CTS was proud to work with our partners at Colleges and Institutes Canada and member institutions across the country to co-design and develop this much-needed, micro-certification program,” says Candace Miller, senior manager, Strategic Initiatives and Business Development. “We look forward to filling employment gaps in healthcare by providing training to eligible participants who are looking to transition into the healthcare field.”

Further details and application information are available online.

For more information about Fanshawe College, please visit Fanshawe's media contact page.