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7 Placement Assignments, Locations and PLAR Information

Do you already work at a health care facility?

If you are currently working in a health care facility, you can request your facility placement to be at your workplace – for this to be done you must request this by the deadline that was shared with you by the Field Placement Specialist Team. Please note this must be submitted by the date outlined.

Are you living outside our catchment area and looking for a placement closer to home?

If you’re seeking a placement closer to your area, you can request to be placed outside our catchment. To do so, you must submit your request by the deadline provided by your Field Placement Specialist Team. Please ensure that your request is submitted by the specified due date.

Do you already work as a PSW? Look to see if you can PLAR!

Mohawk College recognizes that college-level learning can take place in a variety of settings both inside and outside the traditional classroom. Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR) focuses on the evaluation of prior learning rather than the formal educational courses used in the academic transfer of credits or course exemptions.

Additional PLAR information: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/registration-and-records/prior-learning-assessment-recognition

For any PLAR related questions please reach out to the PSW Academic Coordinator Tiffany Iles at tiffany.iles@mohawkcollege.ca


How are facility placements assigned?

Facility placements are assigned by the Mohawk College’s placement specialist team. Placements are assigned using randomization software based on placement options and students indicating preferences. Unfortunately, not everyone gets placed where they want as it is not logistically possible. We do not move students after the randomization process has been completed.  They will try their best to choose a placement in your demographical area and postal code, but it is not a guarantee.

Professional Practice Placement Locations

Clinical placements may occur at locations that are not accessible by public transit. Students should expect to either have access to a car or the ability to supply their own transportation when attending clinical placements in our catchment area that includes Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford, Halton, Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk and surrounding regions.

Students are responsible for their own travel and costs to clinical placements.

Hospital Placements

We are pleased to now offer PSW students hospital placements. Each semester we get about 10-12 hospital placement spots for semester 2 PSW students.
Note: its still a randomized selection process, once students are randomly selected, we ensure only students who were placed at hospital meet the following hospital placement criteria below:
Students must meet the following criteria: 
  • Students must have a minimum GPA of 80%
  • Students must have access to a vehicle
  • The Student cannot have a prior student success plan from semester 1
  • The Student MUST have successfully finished Professional Practice 1
  • The Student must have full PSW lab 2 attendance

Are there any facility placement restrictions?

No there are no facility placement restrictions. We welcome any new PSW facility placements.


How will I know where I will be placed at?

The Field Placement Specialist (FPS) will inform you via your @mohawkcollege email and the information will also be posted on HSPNet. We encourage students to check HSPnet for all placement information and updates.


How will I get to placement?

Students are required to cover all travel costs in order to attend placement.

Some great resources to help get you to placement:

  • Carpool- once you get to know which other students have been placed at the same location. We can’t provide that information in advance, but you would know during your first day.
  • Public Transit
  • Uber, Taxi
  • other students have used CommunAuto which is available in Hamilton and may be an option for you. Link to their site: https://ontario.communauto.com/

They also may be helpful options/resources within Mohawk College!


Didn’t get the placement site you wanted?

Students are encouraged to research placement addresses to better understand commute times and geographical areas when choosing your placement sites via HSPnet.
Please note that once placements are released, we are unable to alter your assigned placement. Unfortunately placement changes cannot be made. 
Please note we cannot assure fulfillment of all workplace and out-of- catchment requests- If your request is not granted, you will be assigned to a placement within the catchment area.
Our facility partners can only accommodate so many students per facility site.
We appreciate your understanding.