Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion Program Offers Speedy Entry into Workforce

Productivity and Sound health are interconnected – That’s where people with health and wellness programs comes in.

Centennial College’s health promotion program focuses on creating health and nutrition programs to educate and engage workers and the community at large about healthy choices.

More specifically, graduates of this program find themselves placed in corporate employee wellness, community health promotion and not-for-profit organizations, as well as wellness entrepreneur positions as wellness coordinators, health promotion consultants or program managers.

One popular option within the field is that of health and wellness consultants who work for health and wellness companies and perform health/fitness and wellness seminars and presentations at a variety of companies that hire them on a consultation basis; develop, collaborate and deliver customized wellness programs, and more. Meanwhile, a wellness coordinator (another popular option) develops complete wellness programs consisting of literature, one-on-one and classroom trainings; teams up with department heads and supervisors to solicit employee participation and deliver workshops and training, and more.

Through the Centennial College Workplace Wellness and Health program, students not only obtain an Ontario College Graduate Certificate, but also learn theoretical and practical know-how to be successful, and receive employment search support services — which gives the program a 90 per cent job placement rate!

Applicants to the Workplace Wellness and Health program must have completed an advanced college diploma (three-year program) or university degree in any discipline. Additionally, demonstration of English proficiency is required. Lastly, prior to their program field placement, students must have an annual clear police check with vulnerable sector screening, successfully complete (and annually renew) a recognized course in CPR, and successfully complete a recognized course in Standard First Aid.

Once they are accepted, mature students learn: program planning, program management, physical health, mental health management, nutrition, health promotion theory, organizational development, environmental health coaching, and research and business skills. More specifically, the Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion program covers topics such as: assessing health risk factors, developing health and wellness plans and strategies to promote personal well-being, program design and management, psycho-social and physical health issues, stress management, nutrition and health promotion theory to bring a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to workplace wellness and community health promotion.

To complement the on-campus portion of the Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion program, students partake in a field placement in their second semester that provides valuable and relevant work experience and networking opportunities. While in the field, students are expected to integrate and apply theories and skills learned during both of their semesters. The placement takes place two days a week (a total of 16 hours per week) at times that are mutually agreeable for both the student and worksite.