Is The PSW Course Really Free In Ontario?
Indeed, the Ontario government has announced that they will be investing a whopping $86 million to train up to 8,000 personal support workers (PSWs) due to the recent circumstances arisen due to the pandemic.
The demand for PSWs or personal support workers in Ontario, Canada are skyrocketing hence the Ontario government is offering special financial aid to assist the students to pay for tuition and cover their living expenses during their apprenticeship. This bursary offered to the students is called the Personal Support Worker Challenge Fund. This bursary includes tuition money, textbooks and supplies. In addition to all this, a stipend is provided to assist the students while they are in their apprenticeship period.
If you have ever considered becoming a PSW or personal support worker but because of financial reasons couldn’t, now is the time for you. Don’t miss this limited-time opportunity to get your PSW program paid for by the government.
This BizTalk will assist in finding out whether you are eligible to qualify for funding, how to qualify for funding, important deadlines, and other key facts about the Personal Support Worker Challenge Fund and career outlook.
Who Qualifies For The PSW Challenge Fund?
Any candidate accepted to start the Personal Support Worker program in one of the selected 24 colleges in Ontario between May 1st and July 31, 2021, is eligible to receive funding from the government. But the PSW Challenge Fund bursary will be administered through OSAP. So, you must apply to OSAP to receive the bursary.
“Personal support workers are the backbone of long-term care and do vital work every day so that our loved ones receive the quality of care they need and deserve. I encourage Ontarians who may be considering training as a personal support worker to apply to one of the 24 Ontario colleges offering this innovative training program,” Dr Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care
How Much Funding Can a PSW Students Get?
Only the Eligible students will receive the following financial assistance from the PSW Challenge Fund:
- Up to $7,500 for tuition, books and other mandatory fees
- Up to $5,735 to cover costs during the work placement
This almost covers the entire cost of tuition for the PSW program at most of the selected 24 Colleges in Ontario. Some colleges are even extending the bursary by $1000 to cover the rest of the students.
That means your total tuition, books, supplies, and internship costs will be completely covered.
Do The Students Have To Pay The Money Back?
No. The money you receive from the PSW Challenge Fund does not have to be repaid. It is a bursary, not a loan. The goal is to help eligible students become personal support workers without taking on any debt or financial stress.
What Do Personal Support Workers (PSW) Do?
Help and assist people in various situations. Such as the elderly, expectant/nursing mothers, people with disability, injured. Support workers assist people in becoming independent and performing daily tasks. Some of the typical duties you might have to play will include:
- Talking and spending time with clients thus, making them comfortable through a tough situation
- Care for individuals during the period of illness or recovery. Also, provide support to the family
- Bedside and personal care to the elderly. To help them get dressed and undressed, move, bathe etc.
- Plan and prepare meals, you will be responsible for patients’ food intake as per the requirements
- Teach new parents to care for an infant and walk them through challenges
- Dressings and medicines as per instructions
- Light housekeeping may also be involved
- Follow emergency procedures if required
What To Do If You Are Not Eligible For The PSW Challenge Fund?
BizTech College offers tuition free study for PSW course as per Government Scheme. However, if you are not eligible for the bursary, BizTech College’s Personal Support Worker course is the right choice for you as other financial aids are available and the course allows you to gain the knowledge and skills required to confidently assist clients and patients with tasks of daily living.
As a Personal Support worker, you will be working in a wide range of environments. BizTech College’s PSW program prepares you with the right combination of classroom, lab and clinical work experience, which will help you thrive in the profession.
BizTech College offers an accelerated Personal Support Worker Program to help you earn a rewarding career sooner than you thought. Click here to request more information.
