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◂ Back to NewsConnect + Learn (Nov 5, 2025): Experience Matters: Unlocking PSW Programs Through PLAR
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In 2024, Loyalist College launched an innovative PLAR initiative that connects ParaMed home support workers with its PSW certificate program, transforming workplace experience into academic recognition. With a successful pilot involving 40 ParaMed employees, the program scaled up with two cohorts of 50 students each.
Led by Tricia Bonner, Flexible Learning & Open Education Strategist at Loyalist College, this ONCAT-supported project exemplifies the power of employer collaboration and flexible credentialing pathways. ParaMed fully funds learner participation, removing financial barriers and paving the way for working professionals to enter postsecondary education with confidence and support.
On November 5th, colleagues across Ontario were invited to learn about this innovative project and to identify ways to implement a version of it at their institution.
View the presentation here.