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Lambton College

Sarnia , Ontario ,Canada

Ontario College Diploma - Social Service Worker

Students in Lambton College's Social Service Worker program will develop the skills, knowledge, and values required to support diverse individuals, families, groups and communities. With practical experience both in and out of the classroom, as well as through ongoing reflective practice, students will develop the skills to assist in empowering clients to learn to help themselves and to face the challenging work of being a Social Service Worker.

Small class sizes, technology in the classroom, role play and simulation exercises as well as a variety of personal, hands-on experiences, will result in a deeper understanding of self, which will ultimately benefit clients. 

Individuals considering the Social Service Worker program are asked to carefully evaluate their reasons for entering this field. The work calls for people who are mature enough to examine their own values, beliefs and life experiences while focusing upon the needs of vulnerable populations.

Students will complete approximately 650 hours of supervised experiential field placement while in the program. An additional 60+ hours of volunteer work in the community is required over the course of the program. Students' theoretical and practical experience will be enhanced by group work, leadership and participation in a capstone community project that is determined by a real social issue that benefits a non-profit community organization in the Sarnia-Lambton area.

Any applicant entering this program must meet employment entrance criteria set by individual employers and provide a vulnerable sector criminal reference check, in order to apply for placement opportunities. A criminal record could limit a student's ability to successfully secure placement opportunities which are a requirement of graduation.

Campus Information

Sarnia/Main Campus

Lambton College’s Main Campus is located in Sarnia, Ontario and the main building on-site is the South Building where the majority of the classrooms and staff and faculty offices are located. In addition to the South Building, the main campus is also home to the Suncor Sustainability Centre, the Lambton College Residence and Event Centre, the Sustainable Smart Home, the Skilled Trades Training Centre and the North Building.

Intakes

  • Jan
  • May
  • Sep

Application Processing Time in Days: 10

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Graduates of the Social Service Worker program are successful in finding employment working with a variety of populations and in a number of different social service and government organizations. These opportunities include employment at Lambton County Social Services (Ontario Works), associations for the developmentally disabled, homeless shelters, poverty reduction and food stability organizations, women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, long-term care homes and senior's facilities, job training/employment services and school boards.

Graduates of the Social Service Worker program will meet the educational requirements for registration as a Social Service Worker in the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

PSW Opportunity

If your program was less than 8 months

  •    You aren’t eligible for a PGWP.

If your program was more than 8 months but less than 2 years

  •    We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for up to the same length as your study program.

For example, if you completed a 9-month program, we may give you a work permit for up to 9 months.

If your program was 2 years or more

  •    We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for 3 years.

If you completed more than 1 program

  •    You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.

Each of the programs you completed -

  • must be PGWP-eligible and at least 8 months in length

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

O.S.S.D. or equivalent with:

  • Grade 12 English C or U

Mature applicants must be at least 19 years of age by the start of classes, be out of secondary school for at least one year and usually do not have a high school diploma. Mature applicant assessment for this program is available in the Counselling Department in the subject of English. The assessment(s) will demonstrate proficiency in required admission subjects. For more information please contact the Counselling Department at ext. 3412. Academic admission requirements can be obtained through Academic Upgrading and Pre-Programs at Lambton College.


The admissions process is competitive and meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.

Lambton College reserves the right to alter information including admission requirements and to cancel at any time a program or course; to change the location and/or term in which a program or course is offered; to change the program curriculum as necessary to meet current competencies or changes in the job market; to change the pathways third-party certification bodies; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications or registrations or over-acceptance of offers of admission. In the event Lambton College exercises such a right, Lambton College’s sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to Lambton College.