Develop your caregiving potential.Camosun can prepare you for a rewarding career and set you up for entry into an in-demand, health care field.
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 caregiver 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 - English Second Language is designed for students who want to take the HCA program while also improving their English language skills.
Health Care Assistant - Indigenous is designed for Indigenous* learners who want to take the HCA program while focusing on Indigenous community and culture.
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.
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.
May 2025
School of Health and Human Services
4461 Interurban Rd,
VICTORIA,
British Columbia (BC),
V9E 2C1, Canada
One of:
C in English 11
C in English 11 Camosun Alternative
And all of:
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. An online Information Session module is available for anyone unable to attend in person.
Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (CLB PT) (test must be within the last year):
Listening 7
Speaking 7
Reading 6
Writing 6
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
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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