Retirement Home Management
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Program Overview
Imagine having a job where every day you can make a difference in someone’s life - while working with the young at heart - while knowing that your career future would be full of opportunity and growth.
If you have work experience, a diploma or degree in business, culinary, hospitality, health care, food and nutrition or finance, there is a career waiting for you in retirement home management. In two semesters, plus a field experience, this Ontario Graduate Certificate program will give you the transferrable business skills you need to apply your prior experience and education so that you can launch your career into the booming retirement home industry.
Retirement homes are very different from long-term care or nursing homes, where support is provided on a daily basis and residents may be housed in multi-resident spaces. Retirement homes include multiple private residences within a single dwelling where residents live independently but interact frequently for recreation, meals and common interests - some are even like working in a resort or on a cruise ship, where the guests live year-round!
The Canadian retirement home industry is forecast to double in the next five years, as Canada experiences a surge in aging baby boomers. This rapid expansion is creating an industry-wide need for qualified staff and retirement home managers.
Guided by industry leaders (Verve Senior Living, Chartwell Retirement Residences, Revera Retirement Living, Delmanor, Schlegel Villages, Amica Senior Lifestyles, Sienna Senior Living and others) and taught by faculty experts, courses include the foundational skills in the areas of leadership; hospitality; sales and marketing; health, wellness and recreation; food and nutrition; finance; and human resource management.
A 160-hour field placement in a retirement home community allows you to fully apply and reinforce your learning in order to launch your career.
If you are ready to prepare for an exciting role that provides just as much personal reward as career success, then the Humber Retirement Home Management Ontario Graduate Certificate program might just be right for you.
Courses
At Humber, courses are delivered in a variety of formats:
In-Person - An in-person course is delivered fully on campus.
Online Asynchronous (A) - An online asynchronous course has no fixed class schedule and allows students to engage with the course at different times according to their needs. Faculty provide modules, which are completed independently by the students according to established deadlines.
Online Synchronous (S) - An online synchronous course is delivered fully online and requires faculty and students to participate in real-time according to a fixed schedule. Classes are scheduled for a specific day and time.
Hybrid - A hybrid course is a combination of in-person and online classes and follows a set schedule. Students must be available to attend in-person classes at scheduled times during the semester.
The chart below outlines the delivery options available for each course in this program, by campus. For some academic terms, there may be more than one delivery option available. You’ll be able to select your preferred options when building your course schedule during open enrolment. Preferences for course delivery will be considered on a first come, first served basis. Some Humber programs are also delivered fully online, where all courses are delivered online.
International students: the impact of studying from outside of Canada on Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility differs significantly based on when you start your program. Please review the PGWP eligibility before choosing your program and course delivery.
Work-Integrated Learning
This program provides students with the hands-on practical exposure to the retirement home industry and the opportunity to specialize in their chosen area. It consists of a 160-hour in an approved retirement community of the student's choice. Students will have an opportunity to observe and learn from experienced professionals in a real-life work setting, while integrating their classroom learning in order to gain required hands-on experience. Students have the support of a faculty internship co-ordinator and are able to apply to a variety of retirement communities run by our industry partners. They also have the opportunity to seek an employer for an approved placement. This field experience will take place after the second semester.
Humber Advantages
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Program Highlights
- The program and curriculum have been developed by high-level industry leaders
- Program advisory committee members have been recognized by the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) as high-level leaders in the industry
- Program faculty are working in the industry while teaching, bringing valuable experience into the classroom
- The curriculum includes all functional areas of retirement home management as well as career readiness training
- Program partnerships with the key players in the industry enhances field placements, bursaries, guest speakers, field trips and networking opportunities toward relevant experience and employment
Students will graduate with hands-on experience and knowledge of the retirement home sector and functional operational areas within the industry and a retirement home/community.
Join the Workforce of Tomorrow
The retirement home sector is an amazing career destination! Dynamic, flexible, fun, smart, exciting - with opportunity for growth.
Watch the video to see why other students have chosen a career in the Retirement Home industry!
Your Career
The Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) anticipates that within the next five years the retirement home sector will grow dramatically. New homes are being built and others are expanding. This growth means that there will be additional 5,000 jobs in the sector. With this industry growth on the horizon, career prospects in this area are very promising.
Program Availability
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Course-Based | North | Opening Soon |
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Course-Based | North | Open |
Humber is a publicly funded institution. International students graduating from a PGWP Eligible program at Humber are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
International students in Canada could be eligible for an automatic scholarship*. Apply now!
Check out the step-by-step Admissions Road Map for helpful information and additional resources.
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Course-Based | North | Open |
Humber is a publicly funded institution. International students graduating from a PGWP Eligible program at Humber are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
International applicants outside of Canada can apply through Humber International. Check out the step-by-step Admissions Road Map for helpful information and additional resources.
Upcoming Recruitment Events
Every attempt is made to ensure that information contained on this website is current and accurate. Humber Polytechnic reserves the right to correct any error or omission, modify or cancel any course, program, fee, timetable or campus location at any time without prior notice or liability to users or any other Person.
