Field Placement FAQs

Please visit the Program Details page to confirm if your program has a required placement.

There are fees associated with the placement clearance process that are not included in your tuition. All fees related to this process are the responsibility of the learner. These fees differ based on the specific program requirements but may include any of the following:

1. ParaMed clearance fee
2. Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector (PRCSVS)
3. Standard First Aid and CPR Level C
4. Non-violent Crisis Intervention Training
5. Purchase of the placement manual or other associated textbook materials

ParaMed is an Algonquin College partner organization that employs Registered Practical Nurses who are authorized to review and confirm medical clearance. The nurses at ParaMed clear learners from multiple colleges, programs, and deliveries.

Please visit the Program Details page to confirm if your program requires ParaMed clearance.

Depending on the nature of the offence and the program you are taking, it may be possible to secure a placement in spite of the charge on your PRCSVS, however we are not able to guarantee placements for learners without a clear PRCSVS and you may be at risk of not being able to complete your program requirements and graduate.

Please contact the Field Placement Team early to disclose this information and discuss your concerns.

Some placement courses are eligible to be challenged through our Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) process. PLAR allows you to receive course credit for non-academic life experience. This may include paid employment, community work, independent study, on-the-job training, volunteering, or travel and leisure. You might need to write an exam, put together a portfolio, attend an interview, and/or complete an assignment. The assessment type is determined on a course-by-course basis by the academic area.

Please visit the Program Details page to confirm if your placement is eligible to be challenged through PLAR.

No, learners in all programs are able to complete their placements outside of the Ottawa area as long as there are agencies in your area that meet the requirements for your program. Some rural areas may require learners to travel to a qualifying agency.

Depending on your program, you may be responsible for finding your own placement, you may have to submit top choices for placement in your area, or you may be placed at partner organizations outside of the Ottawa region. If you have questions or concerns about your local placement options, please contact the Field Placement Team.

If you are registered with the Centre for Accessible Learning and require placement accommodations, please visit the CAL Placement page for further details.

We will contact you after the request form deadline with the next steps. In the meantime, you should continue to complete any program-specific requirements for placement, such as successfully completing all prerequisite courses, and obtaining ParaMed clearance (if required for your program).

If your program requires full-time block field placements, you must be available between the hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. The average placement day requires a 7-8 hour shift, and the shifts vary by agency. No guarantees can be made for specific hour requirements. Learners must make alternative arrangements to be fully available throughout this time or they may not be eligible to go out on placement in their preferred term.

Appeals must be brought forward within two business days of receiving placement agency confirmation.

A learner may appeal an agency assignment if:

1. The travel time is over 90 minutes one way.
2. The learner has worked, volunteered, or been previously placed at the agency.
3. The learner has a personal relationship with the agency staff.
4. The learner has children attending the agency (if relevant to your program).

Only serious concerns as defined above may result in a change in placement location. If learners cannot complete placements as assigned, they will be required to take a placement at a later date and this may result in the learner incurring additional fees.

In a worst-case scenario for students who are missing specific immunizations, completing these requirements can take up to 6 months.  For students with current immunization records the average time to prepare all ParaMed documentation is 6-12 weeks.

If you are not cleared by the placement deadline, you will not be eligible for placement.  This will prolong your graduation and may result in additional fees.

You are responsible for making sure your medical and non‐medical requirements are valid for the duration of your placement.  If they expire, you will need to redo them prior to the placement deadline.

Some districts will require a letter from the college indicating why you require a VSPRC.  If you require a letter, please complete this online request form.

If you are in the Ottawa Capital Region please go to Algonquin College Health Services.  If you are outside the Ottawa Capital Region please visit a local walk-in clinic.

There is an option to complete your placement internationally. The Field Placement Team will be available to provide support throughout the process, but international students are required to find their own placement agencies. Please reach out to the Field Placement Team as soon as possible to start the process and find out the requirements of your international placement.

Students may be required to travel up to 90 minutes to reach their practice teaching field placement. While every attempt is made to provide students with a placement close to a preferred area, this is not always possible.

If you have not already done so, please contact the Welcome Centre at 613-727-4723, ext. 7200 or welcomecentre@algonquincollege.com to schedule an appointment with a Disabilities Counsellor to discuss your placement accommodation needs. Please note that a Placement Letter of Accommodation is specific to the placement environment and is different from the academic Letter of Accommodation.

Unfortunately, with the tight timeline for securing a placement we are unable to provide an extension for ParaMed clearance or your placement request form. These must be completed by the listed deadline in order to be eligible for placement.

Co-op is a partnership involving learners, employers, and the College that provides learners with work experience to complement their in-class training.

Your co-op experience is:

• Academic experience
• Paid (minimum wage – $18+/hour)
• Full-time work
• Related to your program of study
• Completed between in-class semesters

Employers hire qualified and motivated learners to fulfill short-term and future employment needs. As a learner, you gain valuable, paid, on-the-job experience and build networks to enhance employment options. Co-op is handled directly by the Cooperative Education Department and is only available for specific programs.

The Field Liaison is your supervisor from Algonquin College, this term is often used interchangeably with Field Placement Supervisor. You will be connected with your FL in the week prior to your placement start date, at that time your FL will become your first point of contact for any questions related to placement. They will be the person who completes onsite or phone meetings and assigns final grades based on your progress and feedback from your supervisor onsite.

In most programs, the Field Placement Supervisor is your supervisor from Algonquin College, though this term may be used interchangeably with Field Liaison. You will be connected with your supervisor in the week prior to your placement start date, at that time they will become your first point of contact for any questions related to placement. They will be the person who completes onsite or phone meetings and assigns final grades based on your progress and feedback from your supervisor onsite.

Fieldwork provides real-world experiences, which allow learners to integrate theory with professional practice in their field. Learners gain valuable hands-on skills and experience to help them understand the diverse roles, settings, and responsibilities of their profession.

A supervisor assigned to you by the agency. This person will be your mentor throughout placement, working with you day to day, completing your evaluations, signing off on your paperwork and providing your feedback throughout placement.

ParaMed is an Algonquin College partner organization. ParaMed employs Registered Practical Nurses who are authorized to review and confirm medical clearance. The Requiste nurses at Paramed clear learners from multiple colleges, programs, and deliveries.

Unpaid placement where learners will complete required hours with an agency that is arranged by the Field Placement Team.

Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector, for the Community and Justice Services program only this will be a level 3 PRCSVS. Your PRCSVS will be required at the local police agency where learners reside. Any additional fees required by the police agency are the responsibility of the learner.

Allows you to receive course credit for non-academic life experience. This may include paid employment, community work, independent study, on-the-job training, volunteering, or travel and leisure.

NOTE: many placements are not eligible to be challenged through PLAR. Please refer to the Program Details for a full overview of which placement courses may be eligible for PLAR.

Unpaid work experience that is arranged directly by the learner with an agency. The Field Placement Team does not arrange projects for learners and the project guidelines will be expanded on within the course.

Some programs require a co-requisite seminar course taken alongside placement. The seminar course focuses on reflective practices, allowing learners to reflect and examine their placement experience.

Encompasses opportunities for learners to obtain experience in their field of study, network, and also be able to use previous course learning in real-life applications in the workplace.