DCDSB Port Perry Personal Support Worker Program Offered Free of Charge

The Personal Support Worker (PSW) program at Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre was established in 2005. The program has strong support from employers in the Durham Region who provide training and employment. 

Each year Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre provides four PSW day programs (six-month accelerated program) and two part-time evening programs (ten-month program) in Ajax and Oshawa. Approximately 100-200 students achieve PSW accreditation annually through the program. Students have a proven, high success rate of employment upon completion with an over 90% employment rate.  

In 2021-2022, a new PSW program was opened in Port Perry to provide opportunities for students in more rural areas that are not serviced by public colleges with the goal to provide certified PSW staff for Long-Term Care facilities in underserved areas.

“I first started out in the Personal Support Worker program at college. It did not suit me, so I resigned. A year later, I decided to take the PSW program at the Durham Catholic District School Board, and did I ever make a good choice,” said Erin Cocker, a recent graduate of the Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre PSW class. “Currently, I am working as a Personal Support Worker in a Long-Term Care facility and without the help of my amazing teacher and staff throughout the program, this would not have been possible”.

This year’s PSW Port Perry Day Program begins on November 7, 2022 and runs until May 9, 2023. The program is fully funded for the 2022-2023 school year by the Government of Ontario to help address the shortage of PSWs in the province. There are no fees for the PSW program, and students will earn a work stipend of $5,000 upon completion of the program. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older, pass a literacy test provided by the school and participate in an interview to register for the program.

In addition to earning their PSW certification, students can earn 6.5 credits toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre also facilitates pathway planning support for students wishing to further their education in college or university nursing programs. Interested individuals must register for an upcoming orientation session on November 2, 2022 at 12:30 p.m. For more details and to register, visit www.con-ed.ca/psw.

“We are looking forward to welcoming new students in our PSW Port Perry Day Program for the 2022-2023 school year,” said Mike Young, Principal at Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre. “PSWs are such an important part of our health care and long-term care systems, and are in high demand across the Province of Ontario. We are happy to be offering the PSW program at no cost to students once again this year.”