Burlington residents looking to jump into a healthcare career can now apply for a low-cost training program right in their own community. The Halton District School Board is accepting applications for its Personal Support Worker Certificate Program at the Robert Bateman Community Centre, offering a direct path to a job in a field that’s desperate for workers across Ontario.
The 20-week program is open to anyone 18 or older, and you don’t need a high school diploma to sign up. Thanks to provincial support, the program fee has been slashed from $2,500 to just $500, though there’s a $300 non-refundable application fee. Classes mix classroom learning with hands-on clinical experience at places like Extendicare Burloak, so students get real-world practice before they graduate.
The Fall 2026 session starts September 8, with applications due by July 31. A Winter 2027 intake will follow, and the board says spots are open now for both. After finishing the program and passing a certification exam with at least 70 percent, graduates are qualified to work in long-term care homes, group homes, and community health organizations.
That job market is hungry for new hires. Ontario is projected to need close to 51,000 more personal support workers by 2032, according to industry reports. The province is sweetening the deal with a $10,000 bonus for those who commit to a year of full-time work in long-term care or home care, plus extra incentives for rural areas. A new provincial body, the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority, also offers an optional professional registration for PSWs.
The program is run by the school board’s continuing education arm, the Gary Allan Learning Centres, which serves more than 13,000 students each year. Classes are held at the Robert Bateman Community Centre on New Street, a new hub that just opened in May. For Burlington adults wanting a steady career in a growing field, this is a rare chance to train locally and affordably.
Full details and application info are on the Halton District School Board website.
