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Admission
- Proof of Grade 10 completion or equivalent or mature student status
- Proof of meeting HCA Program Entry - English Language Competency Requirements
- Pass college's admissions test
Note: for international students, a clear police certificate from the country of origin must be provided prior to acceptance. -
Benefits of This Program
- Healthcare workers are in high demand
- Get real-world, hands-on training
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Employment Opportunities
- Home Health Care Worker
- Residential Care Attendant
- Health Care Assistant
- Nursing Aide
Health care assistants (HCAs) in British Columbia have an essential and unique role within the healthcare system, supporting patients in various facilities, including retirement homes, hospices, group homes, and long-term care facilities.
Health Care Assistants
CDI College's Health Care Assistant diploma program is for you if you enjoy being a caregiver and helping people live their best physical, emotional, and psychological lives.
HCAs excel at listening and understanding the needs of their clients, including bathing and hygiene, interacting with family members, and assisting with medications.
Hands-on Health Care Assistant Training
In the Health Care Assistant courses, you'll complete Student Practice Education Core Orientation, Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum, Dementia Care Training certificate, Recognizing and Responding to Adult Abuse Course Certificate, and HCA Practice in BC Modules Certificate on top of Food SAFE Level 1, and Standard First Aid and CPR Level C.
You'll also get to test your new skills in two work experience placements – one in assisted living, home support, or a group home, and the other in a complex or multi-level care environment.
Industry Certified
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. CDI College, as noted above, has a status of full recognition.
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.
International Student and English Language Proficiency 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.
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 English must also provide proof of one of the following:
- Completion of Grade 10 English (or higher). A minimum of a C grade is acceptable.
- Completion of college courses determined to be equivalent to Grade 10 English (or higher) by post-secondary institutions. A minimum of a C grade is acceptable.
- ACCUPLACER Next Generation Test Results: Reading 230, Writing 230 and Writeplacer 4
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.
Campus Availability
This program is approved to be offered at the following campuses. Please contact the campus of your choosing for program availability.
Richmond, BC Richmond, BC Surrey, BC Surrey, BC
Delivery Mode
The program is approved to be delivered in the following methods.
In person (On Campus) Combined
My teachers push me to do my best, even when I doubt myself. They make sure to teach towards everyone's needs.
Program Courses
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School and Program Orientation [BC-SSS5]
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This session welcomes the students to the college, introduces them to their fellow classmates, faculty, and staff, reviews the policies and procedures related to their studies, and prepares the student for their learning experience. This course also introduces students to the Health Care Assistant program by providing an overview of the courses, work experience (practice education) components and requirements, schedule, and expectations of students.
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Academic Success Strategies for Health Care Assistants [BC-HCA-PRD5]
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The purpose of this course is to optimize learning through equipping students with effective study techniques. This course provides an introduction to strategies for setting goals, managing time, critical thinking, speaking and writing skills with an emphasis on research skills, and managing stress that results from study or work.
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Introduction to the Health Care Assistant Program [BC-HCA-PROF]
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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.
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Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum [PVPC TRAINING]
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The Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC) was developed to fill the need for effective, recommended, and provincially recognized violence prevention education for all British Columbia health care workers across a range of public health care settings.
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Concepts for Practice [BC-HCA-CP]
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This course provides students with the opportunity to develop a theoretical framework for practice. Students will be introduced to the philosophical values and theoretical understandings that provide a foundation for competent practice as an HCA. The course focuses on concepts of caring and person-centred care; basic human needs and human development; family, culture, and diversity as they relate to health and healing. Students will also be introduced to a problem-solving model that will be critical to their practice.
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Interpersonal Communications [BC-HCA-COM]
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This course focuses on the development of self-awareness, increased understanding of others, and development of effective interpersonal communication skills that can be used in a variety of caregiving contexts. Students will be encouraged to become more aware of the impact of their own communication choices and patterns. They will have opportunities to develop and use communication techniques that demonstrate personal awareness, respect, and active listening skills.
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Lifestyle Choices [BC-HCA-LC]
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This course introduces students to a holistic concept of health and the components of a health-enhancing lifestyle. Students will be invited to reflect on their own experience of health, recognizing challenges and resources that can impact lifestyle choices. Students will be introduced to a model that can be applied in other courses to understand the multi-faceted aspects of health and healing.
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Introduction to Practice [BC-HCA-IP]
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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.
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Common Health Challenges [BC-HCA-CHC]
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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.
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Caring for Individuals in Palliative Care [BC-HCA-PALL20]
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This course is an extension of HCA-CHC Common Health Challenges. In this course, students will explore person-centred practice as it relates to end-of-life care. The course provides students with the necessary resources and tools to respond to the needs of the dying and their families. Students will increase their confidence and competence in providing compassionate care for the dying.
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Cognitive and/or Mental Health Challenges [BC-HCA-COGMNT]
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This course builds on content from other courses to assist students to explore concepts and caregiving approaches that will allow them to work effectively with individuals experiencing cognitive and/or mental health challenges. The emphasis in this course is on supporting clients with dementia, recognizing responsive behaviours, and identifying person-centred intervention strategies.
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Personal Care and Assistance [BC-HCA-PCA]
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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.
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Practice Experience in Multi-Level or Complex Care [BC-HCA-CPE1]
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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.)
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Practice Experience in Home Support, Assisted Living, or Group Home Settings [BC-HCA-CPE2]
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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.
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