Financial assistance supporting students at Westervelt College
The Ontario government is providing financial support to help 65 Westervelt College students train for rewarding careers as personal support workers (PSWs), with an additional 40 students expected to enrol by the end of July. This investment is part of the government’s Long-Term Care Staffing Plan to improve the care and quality of life for people living in long-term care.
“Personal support workers are on the frontlines every day providing our family members and loved ones the one-on-one care they need and deserve,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “By increasing accessibility to PSW programs here in Windsor, our government is working to achieve our commitment of training more frontline workers in the healthcare sector and preparing students for these high-demand and rewarding careers.”
Eligible students may receive up to $13,467.50 to cover the costs of tuition, books, and mandatory fees and a stipend for their clinical placement. Eligible students must begin their training in a PSW program at a participating private career college between May 1 and July 31, 2021 and apply through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to receive financial assistance.
“Personal support workers give residents the care they need everyday and the need for more PSWs in the long-term care sector has never been greater,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Long-Term Care. “This investment will help us deliver on our government’s Canada-leading commitment to ensure residents receive, on average, four hours of direct care per day and enable thousands of Ontarians to embark on new careers in the healthcare sector.”
“Ontario’s private career colleges provide world-class training for our frontline healthcare workers, including PSWs,” said Minister Dunlop. “We’re making it easier for more students to access personal support worker programs at private career colleges to prepare them for critical jobs caring for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable population.”
Today’s announcement is part of a larger $86 million investment to help train up to 8,000 PSWs through private career colleges and district school boards across Ontario. This is in addition to a recent investment of $115 million to train up to 8,200 PSWs at Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges in partnership with Colleges Ontario.
Quick Facts
- Since October 2020, Ontario has invested $841 million to support personal support workers and supportive care workers, through a temporary wage increase. The increase currently remains in effect until August 23, 2021.
- Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, outlines measures to defeat COVID‑19, fix long-term care and make sure people can access the health care they need. PSW training is the second highest enrolment category at private career colleges in Ontario. Through the 2021 Ontario Budget, the government is investing an additional $650 million in long‑term care in 2021–22, including more than $121 million to accelerate the training of nearly 9,000 personal support workers.
Source: Newsroom Ontario [dot] ca
Colleges and Universities
