Loyalist students were joined by family and friends on January 28th at Picton United Church to celebrate their graduation from the College’s Personal Support Worker (PSW) certificate program. The ceremony honoured 42 graduates from the College’s Bancroft campus PSW program sites in Picton and Napanee.
“Initially I was afraid that I would not be able to do this,” said Sherry Marshall from Rossmore. “Returning to school as a mature student was a huge challenge and it feels great to now be a college graduate. While in the program I did a work placement at Eden Place in Belleville. Not only did it build my confidence and make me realize this was a place that I would really like to work, it gave them the opportunity to see what I was capable of. I now work there full-time and love it. It’s a retirement home and working with the clients in this environment is wonderful. I’m so glad that I returned to school because I would not be in this position today without my PSW certification.”
Guest speaker for the ceremony was Brian Smith, Director of The John M. Parrott Centre, Long-Term Care Home in Napanee. Mr. Smith has more than 35 years experience in administration, long-term care, and financial management in the field of community health services. Prior to his present position he was a Program Supervisor with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. He is the immediate Past President of the Lennox and Addington Health and Community Services Coalition, and a canvasser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Mr. Smith is a graduate of the Business Administration program at Loyalist College.
“By offering the PSW program at off-campus locations in addition to our Belleville and Bancroft campuses, training has become accessible to a greater number of individuals,” said Tom Malloy, Dean of Skills Training, Access and Continuing Education. “Students are drawn to the fact that they are able to complete their certification within a short period of time, graduating with the qualifications necessary to work within the health-care field.”
The full-time Personal Support Worker program is a one-year, two-semester program delivered in a compressed time frame of 24 weeks at the Belleville campus, beginning in January each year. The part-time program is offered over three semesters for a total of 32 weeks through the Bancroft campus at various off-campus sites as required. Part-time PSW program start dates are scheduled for April and December 2010. PSW graduates are employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities, retirement homes and community agencies providing support in the client’s home. Their role is to provide support to clients who are experiencing physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges. For further information call 1-877-309-0317, ext. 235.
Media Contact: Marilyn Warren, Communications, Loyalist College, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2332 or Tom Malloy, Dean of Skills Training, Access and Continuing Education, ext. 2880