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Do you want to make a difference in your community? Do you genuinely care about helping others? Do you want a rewarding career that is in high demand? As a graduate of the Health Care Aide program, you can work as a vital member of the health care team, assisting regulated members in providing care to clients of all ages. Health Care Aides may work in acute care, continuing care, long-term care, home care, and assisted living settings. Our Health Care Aide Program follows the 2019 Government of Alberta provincial curriculum and includes both theory and practical experiences. Learners are required to write a HCA Provincial Exam to obtain a Government of Alberta Health Care Aide Certificate. This program is accessible, flexible, and delivered in a manner to support each student's individual success.
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A clear Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check must have been obtained within 90 days and proof submitted upon acceptance to the program. Presence of an unclear Criminal Record or Vulnerable Sector Check may impede your ability to complete the practicum required for successful completion of the program and may be a barrier in securing employment as an HCA after graduation. Applicants are required to be fit for practice in the various capacities of the role. The applicant must be in good physical, emotional and psychological health. An up-to-date Immunization Record must be submitted prior to the practicum placement. Although the Canadian Heart and Stroke CPR certification is not a requirement for admission into the HCA program it is recommended.
Credit in English 20-2 (60%) or equivalent.
Credit in Math 20 or equivalent is strongly recommended.
If academic requirements are not met it will be necessary for students to complete an ACCUPLACER assessment.
English Language Proficiency (ELP):
Candidates where English is a Second Language (ESL) must meet the English Language Proficiency requirement in addition to the Academic English requirement.
Tests benchmarked at a CLB 7 for all 4 language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) and official results must be submitted directly to Admissions.
Approved tests include:
1. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic: 6 (no section score below 5.5);
2. Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Testing (TOEFL iBT): 71;
3. Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General: 7 (with no section score below 6); and
4. Canadian Language Benchmarks/Milestones Test (7 in each strand, not an average of 7).
NOTE: Results must have been obtained within 2 years of the start date of program. IELTS(Academic) and TOEFL results are valid for 2 years from the day of testing. Results that expire prior to the Start Date will not be accepted.
NOTE: While NLC accepts other English Language Proficiency Tests for other programming, the tests listed above are the ONLY approved tests for this program.
Students may apply for recognition of prior learning for courses successfully completed in the Government of Alberta Health Care Aide Curriculum Certificate (2019) at institutions who are licensed to offer the Alberta Health (2019) Provincial Curriculum.