Program at a glance
Credential
Certificate
Area of Study
Health Sciences
Human Services
Study options
Full-time
Work experience
Clinical and fieldwork placement
Open to International
Yes
Length
7 months
At a glance image
Front-line caregivers
As a Health Care Assistant, you'll be given the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to function effectively as a front-line care-giver and respected member of the health care team in both community and facility settings.
In demand
Health Care Assistant (HCA) graduates are in high demand.
Do you have a genuine desire to work with older adults and persons with disabilities? Are you intrigued by the possibility of assisting others with personal care in the practical aspects of their day-to-day lives? Are you prepared for a career that will require you to work days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays and 8-12 hour shifts? If you answered yes to all the above, then Health Care Assistant is the perfect career for you.
In addition to the general HCA program, you can specialize in one of the following alternative streams:
- Health Care Assistant - ESL is designed for students who want to take the HCA program while also improving their English language skills. Next intake: Fall 2021
- Health Care Assistant - Indigenous is designed for Indigenous* learners who want to take the HCA program while focusing on Indigenous community and culture. Next intake: TBD
*Camosun College views any student who is a descendant of the Indigenous peoples of North America to be an Indigenous student. This includes status and non-status Indians, Métis, Inuit and Native Americans who reside in Canada.
We'll help you succeed
As you work through the Health Care Assistant program's curriculum and your clinical placements, you'll acquire the skills, knowledge and values you'll need to provide professional care to the elderly and those facing other health or illness challenges.
Focusing on the elderly, you'll learn how to provide care that promotes and maintains the physical, psychological and social well-being of the clients you'll care for in your subsequent role as a Health Care Assistant.
HCA Information Session Slides
Find out more about upcoming networking and information sessions occurring at Camosun.
HCA Program Start Dates
New Intakes available every January, May and September
HHS Student Handbook
Current information for School of Health and Human Services students and HCA program specific handbook sections.
Recognition status by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry
The Health Care Assistant (HCA) program delivered by Camosun College has been granted a full, five-year recognition status by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. Graduates of the HCA program delivered by Camosun College are eligible for registration with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.
The BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry reviews and recognizes Health Care Assistant (HCA) programs in BC to ensure that they are: following the provincial curriculum, implementing a common set of training standards and graduating competent front-line health care providers. Confirming that HCAs meet registration requirements is integral to the Registry's mandate of patient protection and improved standards of care. For further information about the recognition process and standards please see: www.cachwr.bc.ca.
An investment in your career
Invest in yourself! Camosun can prepare you for a rewarding career and set you up for entry into an in-demand, health care field.
Estimated tuition
Effective from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021.
$2,866 (domestic)
$11,920 (international)
Person-centered care
Health Care Assistants learn a wide variety of practical and resident/client care skills. Our program is hands-on, with clinical placements throughout your time at Camosun. You’ll learn about interpersonal communications, lifestyles and choices, personal care, and how to treat patients ethically and with compassion.
What to expect
Located at our Interurban campus, the full-time HCA program is 29 weeks long (approximately seven months). Monday-Friday, 8:30am-2:30pm from September through March. There is also a spring start option: April to October.
Homework commitments may vary per student but are likely about three to four hours per day including weekends. You will be required to participate in full-time clinical placements that include day and evening shifts that may occur outside of regular class time.
Health Care Assistant courses
Your studies will provide you with the skills to advocate on behalf of the rights, needs, interests and fair treatment of residents and their families. As a Health Care Assistant you will develop a person-centred care philosophy aimed at promoting and maintaining the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well being of clients/residents.
Curriculum & courses
Admission Requirements
Ready to get started? Get your application in for the September intake.
When you apply you will need to submit proof that you meet the following admission requirements.
Tip: Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.
One of:
- C in English 11
- C in Camosun Alternative
Information Session
- Attendance at a Health Care Assistant program information session is required to ensure applicants have a strong understanding of the expectations of the Health Care Assistant (HCA) program and the role of the HCA in the work environment. The HCA self-directed online information session slides are available at this time; to satisfy this requirement, please read the document carefully and complete the survey at the end.
English Proficiency Self-Declaration
- Completed self-declaration confirming level of English proficiency
English Language Competency Requirements
- BC HCA program applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency. Domestic and/or international applicants whose first language is not English will need to take a standardized proficiency assessment to confirm communicative competency in all four language skills areas (speaking, listening, reading and writing).
- Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of one of the following standardized English language proficiency test scores from an authorized assessment centre:
- Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (CLB PT) (test must be within the last year):
- Listening 7
- Speaking 7
- Reading 6
- Writing 6
- Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (CLB PT) (test must be within the last year):
Note: A CLB Report Card from a LINC Program may also be accepted.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Academic or General (test must be within the last two years):
- overall score of 6
- minimum of 6 in Speaking and Listening
- no score lower than 5.5 in Reading and Writing
- Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) (test must be within the last two years):
- overall score of 60
- no section less than 50
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (test must be within the last two years) IBT only:
- an overall score of 76
- no score lower than 20 in Speaking and Listening
- no score lower than 18 in Reading and Writing
Our Teaching Staff
Camosun College is fiercely proud of the excellent quality of its instruction. Our teaching staff are experienced, inspiring and supportive of our students’ individual journeys.
Faculty/staff profile
Ros Giles-Pereira
Chair, Continuing Care Department
Faculty/staff profile
Faculty/staff profile
Tracy Atkinson
Instructor
Faculty/staff profile
Sarah Chisholm
Instructor
Faculty/staff profile
Faculty/staff profile
Faculty/staff profile
Julia Liska
Instructor
Faculty/staff profile
Faculty/staff profile
Learn more
Find a full list of courses and specific admission requirements.
Contact information
Continuing Care Department
Campus location
Camosun College Interurban
Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health & Wellness (CHW)
4461 Interurban Rd
Victoria, BC V9E 2C1
Location link