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Health care assistants work on the frontline to promote and maintain the health, safety, independence, comfort, and well-being of individuals and families. They provide personal assistance and services, as a caregiver, and recognize the unique needs, abilities, and backgrounds of clients and their families.
Health care assistants are qualified to work in a number of settings including home support, assisted living, residential and complex care, special care units, and acute care.
Vancouver Career College offers an integrated Health Care Assistant diploma program, which includes two practice experience placements.
This caregiver program offers training in mental health first aid, personal care and assistance, caring for individuals in palliative care, and caring for individuals with cognitive challenges, such as dementia.
To be eligible to work as a health care assistant (HCA) in any public health care setting in BC, applicants must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. If you plan a career as an HCA through studying an HCA program, students need to complete a recognized HCA program to be registered to work as an HCA in BC. The Health Care Assistant program delivered by Vancouver Career College is recognized by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.
Upon graduation from the Health Care Assistant diploma program, you will be eligible for registration with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.
This program has been approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. The program is offered as an in-person program.
Admissions Requirements
Note: for international students, a clear police certificate from the country of origin must be provided prior to acceptance.
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.
To ensure consistency and quality assurance, institution-created tests are not acceptable for the assessment of HCA program applicants. For clarification, three years of full-time instruction in English is defined as three (3) years of full-time secondary and/or post-secondary education in the English language at a recognized institution on the list of Approved English Speaking Countries. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will not be considered.
Applicants who provide evidence of three years of full-time instruction in English6 must also provide proof of one of the following:
Applicants who cannot provide evidence of three years of full-time instruction in English are required to provide proof of one of the following standardized proficiency tests from an authorized assessment agency.
| English Language Standardized Test | Proof of Completion |
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International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (IELTS Academic, IELTS General or IELTS Academic Online). Test in the last two years. |
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Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test (CLBPT)
Test in the last year. |
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Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition). Test in the last two years. |
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Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP General or CELPIP Online). Test in the last two years.
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Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL or CAEL Online). Test in the last two years. |
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In cases where applicants already hold the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) results (testing within the last two years), the following minimum scores will be accepted: Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 6, Writing 6.
In addition to the tests and test scores listed above (#2), recognized BC HCA Programs also have the discretion to accept HCA program applicants with a CLB Report Card from a LINC Program indicating “Completing” CLB Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7 and Writing 7 AND “Recommended Class Placement” as Speaking 8, Listening 8, Reading 8 and Writing.
Prepare for your new career with hands-on training at our welcoming campuses.
This session welcomes you to the college, introduces you to your fellow classmates, faculty, and staff, reviews the policies and procedures related to your studies, and prepares the student for their learning experience.
This course provides an overview of the Health Care Assistant Program provincial curriculum values, beliefs, and principles, purpose, learning outcomes along with the foundational concepts of the Health Care Assistant Program. Students will be introduced to the roles and responsibilities of a Health Care Assistant (HCA) in BC. Students will also be introduced to the BC Care Aide and Community Health Worker Registry (CACHWR) and competently navigate the Registry website.
This course provides an introduction to the role of the HCA within the British Columbia health care system. Students will be introduced to the health care team and the roles and functions of HCAs within the team. Students will also have opportunities to develop self-reflective skills required for competent practice and will be introduced to effective jobfinding approaches. Students will have opportunities to utilize these effective job-finding approaches in CES Career and Employment Strategies.
This course introduces students to the normal structure and function of the human body and normal bodily changes associated with aging. Students will explore common challenges to health and healing in relation to each body system. Students will also be encouraged to explore person-centred practice as it relates to the common challenges to health.
Students will explore person-centred care as it relates to end-of-life care in HCA-PALL20 Caring for Individuals in Palliative Care, as an extension of HCA-CHC Common Health Challenges.
This practical course offers students the opportunity to acquire personal care and assistance skills within the parameters of the HCA role. The course comprises class and supervised laboratory experiences, which assist the student to integrate theory from other courses to develop caregiver skills that maintain and promote the comfort, safety, and independence of clients in community and facility contexts.
Pre-requisites: All theory courses in the program This supervised practice experience provides students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from all other courses in the program with individuals in a multi-level or complex care setting. A portion of this clinical experience will be devoted to working with individuals with dementia. Opportunity will be provided for students to gain expertise and confidence with the role of the HCA within a complex care facility.
Students must meet all practice experience requirements prior to entering this clinical practice (see HCA Program Student Handbook for details.)
Pre-requisite: All theory courses in the program; BC-HCA-CPE1: Practice Experience in Multi-Level and/or Complex Care This practice course provides students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from all other courses with individuals and families in a community setting. Opportunity will be provided for students to become more familiar with the role of the HCA within a home support agency, assisted living facility, or a group home to gain abilities that will prepare graduates for employment in these settings. It is important that students understand the philosophy of community care settings and the importance of client choice and independence.