ECE Resource Consulting Field Placement Information

Mohawk College ECE Resource Consulting students have the opportunity to transfer theory from related college courses into practice while on field placement. Benefits of Mohawk College placements are reciprocal; as our students actively participate and contribute at the placement site by supporting diverse learners, they are also developing the skills related to the ECE Resource Consulting role. Committed members of your school team have the opportunity to share professional experiences, insight, and feedback which will shape future educator attitudes and promote best practices in the field.

While on placement, students are encouraged to expand their professional network, seek learning opportunities, be accountable for their experience, and to acquire and demonstrate the necessary skills to participate in a school environment. Field placements are unpaid and cannot be completed at your current employer. Placements are to be completed in-person.

There are two field placements in the Early Childhood Education – Resource Consulting program:

• ECE Resource Practicum 1 (WORK RT021)
• ECE Resource Practicum 2 (WORK RT051)

Following are the prerequisites for each of the placements:

Each placement is comprised of 105 hours of in-person practicum training. Field placement hours may be worked on a full-time (equivalent to 3 weeks work @ 35 hours per week) or part-time basis, as long as the schedule is acceptable to both you and your placement supervisor. Placement hours must be completed within the 14-week field placement session you register for.

It may be possible for an agency to host a field placement student through remote work or during evening or weekend hours; however, this type of schedule is not common. Students must be prepared to make themselves available on weekdays to complete their placements.

There are several prerequisites and non-academic requirements (NARs) students must complete prior to beginning placement. You should start your non-academic requirements during the semester prior to your intention to begin placement. Students may already have valid NARs documents; however, they will need to be current and submitted to Mohawk College in addition to the completion of our online Health & Safety Training modules. Costs associated with obtaining NARs requirements (such as a police clearance, immunizations, etc) are the responsibility of the student. NARs are typically valid for six months to one year.

The NARs requirements to be completed through WORK10185 / WORK10186 prior to placement:

• Formal Police Clearance / Vulnerable Sector Screening (opens in new window)– Registered students who have been convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code for which they have not been pardoned may be denied the opportunity to enter field placement. A Police Clearance may take 6-8 weeks to obtain once requested.
• Current Immunizations and Tuberculin Skin Test – Some placement agencies require candidates to undergo disease screenings such as tuberculosis testing.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccines are strongly recommended but not mandatory by the college. Placement sites may have their own policies on vaccination requirements.
• Current Standard First Aid and CPR- Level C
• WSIB Consent
• Successful completion of Mohawk College’s fire and workplace safety modules

If you have previously completed WORK10185,  but your NARs have expired prior to the completion of both placement courses, students must submit updated NARs by registering for WORK 10186. 

WORK10185 – Non-Academic Requirements for Placements (NARs) is a non-credit NARs course for students to submit their initial NARs documents to Preplacement Services prior to placement. This course is for students who have not previously submitted NARs documents to Preplacement Services. All NARs documents must be submitted through this course before starting placement. If NARs documents have been previously submitted to Preplacement Services, but updated documents are required, please register for WORK 10186.

WORK 10186 – Non-Academic Requirements (NARs) Updates is a non-credit course for students to submit updated NARs documents to Preplacement Services prior to placement. This course is for students who are submitting updated NARs documents. Only updated NARs documents can be submitted through this course. If NARs documents have not been previously submitted to Preplacement Services, please register for WORK10185. Please contact our office prior to registering for WORK 10186 if you are unsure of the status of your NARs. 

Each student must accurately prepare for placements by following the steps below:

1. Register for WORK10185 the semester prior to when you wish to complete Practicum 1 (WORKRT021). If you have NARs requirements already on file with the college, students can complete WORK 10186 instead of WORK10185
2. Complete all Health and Safety training modules found in WORK 10185 and submit NARs documents the NirvSystem
3. Submit a Preplacement Planning Form
4. Check Mohawk College email regularly for updates on your placement request and communication from the Field Placement Specialists

Prior to being assigned a placement site, students will submit a Placement Request Form (or Matching Guide) to the Field Placement Specialists. This will help us determine a placement site that best suits each student.

Students will be expected to have access to a car, public transportation, or the ability to supply their own transportation while attending placements. Mohawk College is not be responsible for providing students with transportation to placements. An attempt to locate a placement close to your geographical location will be made, however requests cannot always be guaranteed.

The Field Placement Specialist is available to students throughout the completion of their placements and provides the necessary resources, information, supervision, and guidance to support successful field placements. If you have any questions or concerns during the completion of your field placement hours, please contact your supervisor and/or the Field Placement Specialist. Students can also connect with cecommunityplacements@mohawkcollege.ca for assistance during the completion of preplacement requirements and placement hours.

Students must be in compliance with Mohawk College’s placement policies and procedures which includes, but is not limited to confidentiality, WSIB procedures, liability release, student conduct, and placement selection.

Students are to conduct themselves in a professional manner while attending Field Placement. Students are expected to arrive to their scheduled shifts on time. If you anticipate an absence or late arrival, you must notify your supervisor immediately.  Much like employment, placements can be terminated if students are unable to conduct themselves in a professional and appropriate manner.

PLARs provide students the ability to receive credit for prior work/education experience that cannot be given through credit transfers. Students with extensive experience in an ECE setting may be eligible to PLAR Practicum 1 (WORKRT021). Contact  ceeducation@mohawkcollege.ca for more information once accepted into the program if you believe you may be eligible for PLAR.

For any questions related to program completion or admissions, please contact our team at ceeducation@mohawkcollege.ca