The Education Assistant Diploma program prepares students to work as an education assistant and inclusive education worker, alongside the classroom teacher, supporting children and adolescents with disabilities, diverse abilities, and educational support needs. As an EA you become a crucial asset to the education system and play a key role in the success of these children and youth.

The Surrey Community College EA Diploma Program is a 5 month program. This program includes 200 hours of practicum experience right here in Surrey Schools. This allows you to build peer to peer connections, gain hands-on experience and prepares you to be “ready to work” upon graduation. Our dedicated instructors also provide supervision and support throughout the entire practicum experience. With support so close at hand, any questions or assistance you may need will be quickly provided.

Upon graduation you can expect to feel fully supported, educated, and qualified to start your new and rewarding career uplifting our communities by supporting learners and assisting teachers. 

Role of Education Assistants

As a paraeducator, an Education Assistant (EA) is dynamic enough to both follow the direction of the school-based team as well as take initiative to support a student by selecting an appropriate course of action within limits of established methods and procedures. 

An Education Assistant is ready, willing, and able to:

• Travel to any school in a school district, recognizing that, as district staff, an EA is not restricted to a particular school, classroom, or set of duties.
• Provide personal care, such as toileting (including diaper changes), feeding, dressing, among other supports identified in a student’s care plan.
• Independently lift and position students of varying weights and of different grade levels.
• Receive training and provide support to students with physical impairments and chronic health issues, including seizures, and administer medication and physiotherapy. 
• Escort students on fieldtrips, which may involve travelling throughout metro-Vancouver, rain or shine, including supporting students in the water at a swimming pool and other activities that may require a level of agility to provide physical assistance. 
• Run after a student who tends to run away (i.e., eloper). 
• Demonstrate the emotional capacity, empathy and understanding to support students with severe behavioural disorders, mental health conditions, or complex trauma. 
• Effectively interact with students to enhance their social/emotional growth and independence, support improvement of their communication skills, and foster positive relationships between students and their peers.
• Effectively support the academic growth of students with learning disabilities.
• Perform a variety of record keeping tasks, including the collection data, monitoring of student progress, and have basic computer knowledge. 
• Collaborate as a member of a team in a professional learning environment, recognizing the need for tact, discretion, and diplomacy. 

Consultations are by appointment only, but not mandatory, please call 604-595-6077 to discuss your questions.

We begin accepting applications for the February 2025 cohort in October 2024 (until seats are full), and begin accepting applications for the September 2025 cohort in March 2025 (until seats are full). Once seats are full, we will start a waitlist for the program in case any students decide to withdraw or do not meet the tuition deadline. Please note that Police Information Checks should be completed on or after the initial admissions opening date, for example, do not get your police check prior to March 1st if you are applying for the September cohort so that the police check is still valid when your program begins.

Application and other resources can be found on the How to Apply page.