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Health Care Assistant - Indigenous, Certificate

The Indigenous Health Care Assistant program will provide opportunities for you to reflect, and develop self-awareness and pride as you develop your caregiving potential.

A health care assistant student working on a medical practice mannequins.

Program at a glance

Credential

Certificate

Work experience

Clinical/fieldwork placement

Study options

Full-time

Open to International

No

Length

TBD

September 2025

Applications open on September 15, 2024.

Front-line caregivers

For people of Indigenous ancestry, the Health Care Assistant - Indigenous (HCA-I) program is designed to provide you with opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and values necessary to provide care to families and individuals in First Nations and Indigenous communities.

 program students in clinic classroom

The Indigenous Health Care Assistant program will provide opportunities for you to reflect, and develop self-awareness and pride as you develop your care giving potential.

*鶹Լ 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.

In demand

Health Care Assistant grads 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.

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.

Recognition status by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry

The Health Care Assistant (HCA) program delivered by 鶹Լ 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 鶹Լ are eligible for registration with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.

The 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.

What you'll learn

Current students wanting information about your program, go to student planning in.

Program outline

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the academic calendar.

Program outline

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.

Person-centred 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.

A graphic representation of a hand pointing at a book with an "i" for information on the cover.

HCA program handbooks

Find current student information in theSchool of Health and Human ServicesԻ HCA program󲹲ԻǴǰ.

Tuition and fees

Effective from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025

Estimated tuition

Tuition estimates are for the entire program.

Health Care Assistant - Indigenous, Certificate

$4,144 (domestic)

Domestic tuition fees vary depending on the individual course fees for the classes you select.

For International students visit: International Tuition & Fees.

Student fees

In addition to tuition estimates, student fees are calculated based on your enrolment. Refer to:Student Fees.

Financial assistance

You may need to find more than one source of funding to help pay for your education and living costs while attending college. Check out sources of money you don't need to pay back as well as those that need to be repaid.

Financial Aid & Awards

Admission requirements

Evidence ofallof the following must be provided prior to acceptance:

1.HCA Program Entry - English Language Competency Requirements

To be accepted into a recognized BC HCA program, applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English**. Students must be able to communicate effectively in English to be successful in their studies and capable of providing safe and competent care to patients/clients/residents in the work environment during practice education components. Domestic and/or international applicants who do not have three years of full-time instruction in English will requirea standardized proficiency assessment to confirm competency in all four language skills areas (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

For applicants with three years of full-time instruction in English,oneof:

  • C in English 10
  • C in English 10 Course Alternatives
  • ACCUPLACER Next Generation Test Results: Reading 230, Writing 230 and Writeplacer 4

For applicants with less than three years of full-time instruction in English,oneof:

Standardized English language proficiency test score​

  • 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 Language Instruction for Newcomers (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

**Applicants must provide a transcript(s) or a BC personal education record as evidence to confirm completion of a minimum of three years of full-time instruction in English. To meet this threshold, the Registry looks to confirm that applicants have studied over a period of three years and completed a minimum of two semesters of studies within each year. In addition, it is expected that the student will be taking full time studies (30 credits per academic year to a minimum of 18 credits per academic year [60% courseload]). In this way, it is typically a minimum of six semesters with total credits between 54 - 90 credits, completed over the three-year timeframe.

2. Indigenous Ancestry:

  • 鶹Լ 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.

3. Attendance at a Health Care Assistant program Information Session

This 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.

When you apply, you will need to submit proof that you meet the program admission requirements listed above. Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.

When you apply you will need to submit proof that you meet the program admission requirements listed above. Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar: Loading...

Ready to get started?

Missing admission requirements?

You may be able to take an assessment or upgrade with us.

Need help applying?

Find out more on How to Apply or speak to an Admissions Advisor.

Contact us

If you have admissions questions contact us today!

If you have questions about what you can expect to learn in this program please contactindigenous@camosun.ca,250-370-3299

Faculty/staff profile

Ros Gies-Pereira

Ros Giles-Pereira

Chair, Continuing Care Department

pereira@camosun.ca
250-370-4767
Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)

Faculty/staff profile

Heather Frame

Heather Frame

Program Leader, Health Care Assistant ESL, IHCA

frameh@camosun.ca
250-370-4754

Faculty/staff profile

null

Dasha Herman

Instructor

hermand@camosun.ca
250-370-4753
Aex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)

Faculty/staff profile

null

Cathy Josephson

Instructor

josephsonc@camosun.ca
250-370-4677
Aex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness (CHW)

IHCP program students outside

Learn more

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the academic calendar.

Contact information

School of Health and Human Services

Campus location

Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health & Wellness building (CHW), room 207

Location link

Interurban campus

250-370-3299

indigenous@camosun.ca


Admissions questions: