Willis College
Personal Support Worker (PSW) – NACC Certificate
Train for one of Ontario’s most in-demand healthcare roles
Ottawa
Program Length:
30 weeks
Program Hours:
738
Ottawa Hybrid
Program Length:
30 weeks
Program Hours:
738
Credentials:
- ON Certificate
Study Options:
- Hybrid
- In Person
Start Dates
Ottawa
November 30, 2026
May 24, 2027
Ottawa Hybrid
September 21, 2026
March 22, 2027
Request Info
Print this page
Train for one of Ontario’s most in-demand healthcare roles
The Personal Support Worker (PSW) program prepares you for a meaningful, in-demand healthcare career—no prior experience required. You’ll gain hands-on training in personal care, mobility support, mental health, and safe client assistance, along with essential knowledge in communication, medication support, and safety protocols.
Through clinical placements, you’ll apply your skills in real healthcare settings and build confidence before graduating. You’ll also earn multiple industry-recognized certifications, including CPR, First Aid, and safety training, at no extra cost.
With a flexible schedule of just 2.5 days on campus each week, you can balance your life while training for a stable, rewarding career.
This program follows the NACC PSW curriculum, based on the Ontario Personal Support Worker Training Standard released in January 2022. Through comprehensive coursework and hands-on clinical training, students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to succeed as Personal Support Workers.
Included Certifications
Industry-recognized certifications are essential for Personal Support Workers because they ensure you meet healthcare standards, build employer trust, and are prepared to deliver safe, competent care. They also make you more job-ready and competitive, demonstrating the verified skills needed to support clients effectively from day one.
Upon successful completion of the PSW program, you will graduate with industry-recognized certifications that enhance your skills and employability:
- WHMIS
- Gentle Persuasive Approach in Dementia Care
- Fire Safety
- Food Safety / Food Handler
- Falls Prevention
- First Aid/CPR (Level C)
- LEAP™ Personal Support Worker
- AODA
$20.50
Average Wage/HR$27.00
High Wage/HRNational Occupation Classification (NOC) for this program: 3413/33102
Source: www.noc.esdc.gc.ca & www.jobbank.gc.ca
Program Outline
Please click on the course title to see the course description.
Students are introduced to the principles of client-centred versus client-directed care, emphasizing the individuality of the client and his/her relationship with family, friends, and others. This course focuses on interpersonal skills and communications, including conflict resolution and problem-solving.
This module introduces students to the concepts of violence and abuse, including its possible signs, and the appropriate actions and legal requirements if abuse is suspected. Personal beliefs and attitudes about family violence and abuse are examined, as is the concept of worker abuse of the client and abuse of the worker. PSW will learn to recognize both indicators and causes, as well as the requirements of legislation, employer policy, and the provisions of the service contract or support plan.
This module involves caring for the ill, disabled, injured, and/or confused client. Frailness, dignity, and levels of dependence are considered. Personal hygiene involves personal safety, self-esteem, and consideration of dignity.
This module involves caring for the ill, disabled, injured, and/or confused client. Frailness, dignity, and levels of dependence are considered. Personal hygiene involves personal safety, self-esteem, and consideration of dignity.
This course emphasizes the influence of cultural values and practices, religious beliefs, and the effects of illness, stress and disability on family relationships as central to the PSW’s ability to provide effective support.
Students will gain basic knowledge of the drugs used in the treatment of common diseases and disorders. This includes drug classification, use, therapeutic effects, side/adverse effects, brand/ generic names, dosage forms, routes of administration, and directions for use of medications.
Students will be introduced to the basics of anatomy and physiology, and gain knowledge and understanding of human body systems that will help them as Personal Support Workers.
Building on the materials presented in the introductory module, PSW Foundations, this course identifies the support to be provided to the client, its need, and significance.
This course introduces topics of common psychiatric conditions of affective disorders and schizophrenia, substance abuse, cognitive impairment, and brain injuries.
This course introduces the basic concepts of assistance, as well as the general effects of common disabilities, ongoing conditions, and diseases on the person. Students will be provided with the skills to perform necessary techniques, with a focus on the importance of providing support safely, effectively, and comfortably.
In this course, students will learn how to assist the client with their nutritional needs, household activities, and household management according to client preferences. Comfort and safety within employer guidelines, as required, are also discussed. Students will learn that nutritional needs include planning balanced nutritious menus, preparing shopping lists, shopping, safe handling of food, storage, and specific cooking techniques.
This course develops the concept of assisting the consumer/client with routine activities of living. Topics include body mechanics, consistency in transferring, lifting techniques, and the use of equipment to increase safety and to reduce client anxiety, confusion, and dependency.
This course prepares students for their certificate and focuses on the Falls Prevention algorithm for healthcare providers, with the checklist for risk of falling.
This course prepares students for certification to verify that they have the knowledge and skills to deal with emergency situations and to prevent injuries from occurring.
This course prepares students for certification. Well-informed food handlers provide safer food to the public, understand their responsibilities clearly, and may improve a business's bottom line.
This course prepares students for their certificate and focuses on evacuation of a long-term care facility, fire extinguisher operation, and fire safety procedures that challenge the industry.
This course prepares students for certification and focuses on responding to persons with challenging behaviours. Professional caregivers and healthcare workers intervene effectively, in a non-punitive, respectful, and self-protective manner.
This course prepares students for certification and focuses on the safe management of disruptive and assaultive behaviour.
This course prepares students for the certification exam and covers basic safety and health hazards that may be presented at their workplace.
This placement provides students with an opportunity to practice new skills in a work setting. While on placement, students will gain experience using a wide range of PSW skills, become more self-confident, and in some cases, receive offers of employment from the placement site.
This placement provides students with an opportunity to practice new skills in a work setting. While on placement, students will gain experience in a wider range of PSW skills, become more self-confident, and in most cases, receive offers of employment from the placement site.
Job Market
Successful graduates of this program may pursue a wide variety of interesting and rewarding professions, including:
- Personal Support Worker
- Healthcare Aide
- Personal Aide
- Long Term Care Aide
- Patient Care Aide
- Patient Service Associate
- Personal Care Attendant – medical
- Resident Care Aide – medical
Salary Information
Average Wage ($/hr) – $20.50
High Wage ($/hr) – $27.00
National Occupation Classification (NOC) for this program: 3413/33102
Source: www.noc.esdc.gc.ca & www.jobbank.gc.ca
Last updated: 2026-04
Admissions Requirements
Academic Admission Requirements:
Canadian High School diploma or equivalent. Willis College’s Admissions Team uses the Wonderlic assessment tool.
For Mature Students
Applicants without a high school diploma may qualify under Mature Student Status by meeting the following criteria:
- Age: Must meet provincial minimums (18 in ON; 19 in the rest of Canada), verified via government photo ID.
- Assessment: Achieve minimum cut-off scores on the securely proctored Wonderlic test.
- Prerequisites: Satisfy all program-specific and language proficiency requirements.
For full details, see the Willis College Mature Student Admissions Policy.
Language Requirements:
For students whose first language is not English, proof of English language proficiency is required.
- IELTS Minimum average score of 5.5 with no individual subject score below 5.5
- TOEFL-IBT Overall score of 80, individual component minimum score of Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20
- CAEL Overall score of 60 with no section below 60
- CELPIP Score of 7 with no section score below 6
- Canadian Language Benchmark Test Score of 7 in each strand (not an average of 7)
- Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 95
- Pearson PTE Academic with a minimum score of 46
- NACC Written Entrance Exam Passing Score of 60 and above
- Proof of successful completion of 2 consecutive years of full-time equivalent post-secondary study in English at a Canadian educational institution
- Proof of successful completion of 2 consecutive years of full-time equivalent post-secondary study in English at an educational institution outside of Canada
Please contact the Willis College admissions team for guidance on navigating language requirements for the PSW program.
Related Programs
Here are some other programs that may interest you
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. While this is not an online (remote) program, the schedule is designed to support busy students balancing work, family, and other responsibilities. With just 2.5 days on campus each week, you'll benefit from the flexibility you need while still gaining the valuable hands-on training and in-person experience that online-only programs can't fully provide.
Yes. Personal Support Workers continue to be in demand across long-term care, home care, and community support settings, making this a stable and rewarding career path for students seeking meaningful work in Ontario. The program is designed to prepare graduates for a growing healthcare field, and current Job Bank outlooks rate related home support worker occupations as "Good" in both Ontario and the Ottawa region, with ongoing growth and workforce retirements expected to create future job opportunities.
The NACC curriculum is widely recognized and respected by healthcare employers across Ontario. Because the program is built around established industry standards and includes preparation for the NACC examination, employers understand the level of training, clinical knowledge, and hands-on experience graduates receive.By choosing a PSW program that follows the NACC curriculum, students can feel confident they are gaining education that aligns with employer expectations and prepares them for real-world healthcare settings.
This program is an excellent fit for:
- Compassionate individuals who enjoy helping others and making a meaningful difference in people’s daily lives.
- Career changers looking for a stable, in-demand healthcare career with strong job opportunities.
- Hands-on learners who prefer practical, real-world training over traditional classroom only learning.
- Strong communicators who are able to support, listen, and build trust with clients, families and care teams.
- Resilient and patient individuals comfortable working in emotional situations and supporting vulnerable populations.
Why choose the Personal Support Worker (PSW) – NACC Certificate program?
- Graduate with Industry-Recognized Certifications: Earn CPR, First Aid, WHMIS, Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA), Food Safety, Fire Safety, Falls Prevention, and other employer-valued certifications as part of your program.
- Train for One of Ontario's Most In-Demand Careers: Prepare for strong employment opportunities in long-term care, home care, hospitals, retirement residences, and community healthcare.
- Gain Real-World Experience: Build confidence through clinical placements in both community and facility settings before you graduate.
- Learn with a Flexible Schedule: Attend campus just 2.5 days per week while completing career-focused training designed to fit your life.
- No Healthcare Experience Required: Start your healthcare journey with comprehensive training that prepares you for success from day one.
- Make a Meaningful Difference Every Day: Build a rewarding career supporting the health, independence, and quality of life of individuals in your community.
What You'll Learn
- Personal Care & Daily Living Support: Provide safe, compassionate assistance with personal hygiene, nutrition, mobility, and activities of daily living while preserving client dignity and independence.
- Safe Mobility & Client Assistance: Learn proper lifting, transferring, positioning, and mobility techniques to support client safety and comfort.
- Medication & Health Support: Build foundational knowledge of common medications, body systems, and health conditions to safely support clients under appropriate supervision.
- Mental Health & Dementia Care: Develop strategies to support individuals living with cognitive impairment, dementia, mental health conditions, and challenging behaviours using evidence-based approaches.
- Professional Communication & Care Planning: Strengthen communication, documentation, teamwork, and client-centred care skills while collaborating with families and healthcare teams.
- Hands-On Clinical Experience & Industry Certifications: Apply your skills during community and facility placements while earning multiple industry-recognized certifications included in your tuition.
Why You'll Love Willis College
- Industry-Aligned Programs: Career-ready curricula designed alongside top employers to ensure your skills match current market demands.
- Instructor-Led, Applied Learning: Hands-on training taught by industry experts who bring real-world knowledge, mentorship, and practical insight into the classroom.
- Flexible Learning Pathways: Tailored study options—in-person, online, or hybrid—that fit your lifestyle and meet you where you are.
- Personalized Small-Class Support: Dedicated guidance and encouragement in smaller group settings where you are a person, not a number.
- Accessible Funding Assistance: Direct support navigating student loans, grants, scholarships, and flexible payment plans to make your education attainable.
- Lifetime Career Services: Continuous job-search support and career counseling to help you transition smoothly from the classroom to the workforce.
What Our Graduates Are Saying
"The Admissions process was actually something that went really smoothly. The staff answered my questions exactly how I wanted. The next day, I told them I’m joining the program."
Moses Rubuye
Cybersecurity Analyst Graduate