If you want to pursue a career that will make a difference, now is the time. At an event held at George Brown College (GBC), the Ontario government announced $300 million over three years to attract, retain and support new personal support workers (PSWs).
GBC has been training PSWs to work in long-term care (LTC) homes and in the community for more than two decades, and our two-semester Personal Support Worker certificate program is well respected in the industry. On November 23, Ontario's Long-Term Care Minister Stan Cho announced up to $25,400 in incentives available to PSW students and recent grads that include the following:
- Up to $5,400 for students while they complete a clinical placement in long-term care or home and community care,
- $10,000 for current students and recent grads who commit to working in a long-term care home or with a home and community care service provider for 12 months and
- $10,000 to help cover relocation costs for grads who commit to working in a long-term care home or with a home and community care service provider in a rural, remote or northern community for 12 months.
The funding is retroactive. If you are a PSW student who completed your clinical placement or started working in LTC on or after April 1, 2023, you can receive the funds.
"These investments are important because they will help to bring immediate noticeable growth to our sector's staffing," Cho said. "In the end, we need to reach our goal of creating more than 27,000 long-term care staff over the next few years. Staff that will be much needed as we continue to build a long-term care sector that takes care of those who took care of us."
Get details on GBC's PSW program.
Addressing the PSW shortage
Ontario Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones joined Cho for the announcement at the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences at Waterfront Campus, along with Miranda Ferrier, CEO and President of the Ontario PSW Association, and Marketa Evans, President and CEO of Colleges Ontario. GBC's Senior Vice-President of External Relations, Communications and Real Estate Development, Joe Cressy, outlined the college's role in addressing the PSW shortage.
"We understand the need to enhance the skills and core competencies of healthcare providers, and we understand the need to deal with the continuing shortage of PSWs in the LTC sector," Cressy said.
"That is why George Brown College partners with various agencies in the community and LTC facilities, to provide small groups of learners intensive clinical training. With the guidance of highly specialized clinical instructors, this provides learners with the hands-on training and experience they need and helps ensure Ontario LTC providers have the highly skilled PSWs they require."
GBC trains over 150 students a year, many of whom go on to work in LTC and in home and community care in the Greater Toronto Area. The PSW program includes hands-on practice in labs and in our Simulation Centre and offers placements focused on long-term care, complex care and community.
Ferrier delivered a message to anyone considering PSW training.
"To those of you who have heard this announcement today and really want to make a difference, I encourage you to heed the call and join the PSW force today. We need you."
