The staffing shortage of home support workers in Ontario is at a critical point. Many older Ontarians and people with disabilities are not receiving an appropriate level of at-home care to meet their daily needs. By renewing their successful partnership, March of Dimes Canada and IBT College are offering a new session of the popular Rapid Training Program For Home Support Workers. The initial pilot in February 2023 saw more than 200 people apply for the innovative program.

The program will aim to continue bringing additional capacity into the workforce to build a better care system for those who need help at home. Growing the workforce and increasing training opportunities with the help of new and modern technology are key actions that back the provincial government’s investment in home and community care. 

“March of Dimes Canada plays an important role in the healthcare system. We support seniors and people with disabilities so they can live and thrive in both their homes and communities,” says Karen Whitehead-Lye, Associate Director Community Support Services, March of Dimes Canada. “With the goal of expanding our workforce, we’re excited to continue fostering this dynamic partnership with IBT College. Together, we’ll provide people who enrol in this essential program with vital in-class education and on-site work experience. Our shared goal is to create opportunities for passionate people to enter the healthcare system and build great careers supporting others in their community.”

“IBT College has trained close to 2,000 Home Support Workers since early 2021 to meet the growing need across the province. This training — along with specialized Micro-credentials and Virtual Reality technologies — will provide solutions to our current healthcare staffing challenges. We want applicants to think of healthcare as more than just a job. It can certainly be a long and rewarding career,” says James Rice, Vice President at IBT College.

“Strong home care is a crucial underpinning for a well-functioning healthcare system. This training and practicum is a good start to compete for workers in a highly competitive hiring environment,” added Don Fenn, President of Caregiver Omnimedia, whose company has been supporting home care providers for more than 20 years.

The MODC / IBT College training partnership originally commenced in early 2023 with a pilot six-week course that included four weeks of online instruction and two weeks of hands-on learning. This new session will follow the same model — we encourage everyone interested in registering to visit our webpage here.