Your Advantage
Professional child and youth workers work toward enhancing the growth and development of children, adolescents, their families and the community. Their role is to help children, adolescents and their families involved in maladaptive, dysfunctional, self-perpetuating cycles, develop alternative behaviours that re-establish growth.
They specialize on the whole child through the development of treatment plans, therapeutic socialization, recreational activities, and goal-directed therapy geared toward the client’s physical, cognitive and emotional needs. Child and youth workers are skilled at working closely with multi-disciplinary professionals.
If you are presently employed by an organization that hires child and youth workers and supports children, youth and families, the Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship program may be the perfect way to gain your professional certification while you continue to work. And with most of the costs of this program paid by the government, the financial burden to you is very small. Where else can you “earn while you learn”?
You, too, can be part of Ontario’s largest and most established child-and-youth-worker program. This program is offered at many sites across Ontario, including Toronto, Belleville, York Region, Dundas, Milton and Lindsay. Benefit from Centennial’s exceptional faculty, interactive classroom experience and field preparation, while studying at your own pace.
Career Outlook
There is a high demand for child and youth work professionals in a wide range of settings and programs that serve children, youth and their families, including: residential treatment programs, day treatment programs, school-based programs, hospitals, crisis centres, child welfare and child protection, shelters, home-based care, psychiatric units, child/youth outreach, and community mental health programs. Centennial graduates are very well-recognized among many of these settings because of their clinical focus and job readiness. Certification through the Apprenticeship program will provide you with increased job security, a wide range of employment opportunities, better salary and opportunities for advancement.
Your Commitment
Presently the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development pays 80% of the tuition for the Apprenticeship Program. As a result, courses cost between $50 and $100. Although course schedules vary by location based on the needs of the community, typically courses run September to June two evenings per week, full time days in July, or one day per week for six hours from September to the end of July. On average, the Child & Youth Worker Apprenticeship Certificate Program takes a little more than three years to complete. Apprenticeship students who wish to upgrade from a Certificate to a Diploma will only be required to complete an additional four courses.
Our Commitment to You
Centennial will afford you every opportunity to transform your motivation, effort and willingness to learn into a satisfying career where you are able to make a difference in children's lives. At every point along the way you have access to the knowledge, expertise and personalized attention that will allow you to become a true helping professional in your chosen area. We are also committed to providing you the support to learn and work effectively within today's diverse cultural and social environment.