Currently, students who are graduating with a degree in social work or a diploma in social service work can register with the College prior to their convocation if they have completed all the academic and practicum requirements of their program. These new graduates are registered with a term, condition and limitation on their certificate which is removed once the College receives official confirmation from their school that they have convocated.
As of September 1, 2024, students who are graduating with a degree in social work or a diploma in social service work will no longer be able to register prior to their convocation.
Rest assured that students graduating this spring will still be able to submit an application prior to their convocation, as long as we receive the completed application before September 1st.
Students graduating this autumn or later will not be able to register prior to their convocation. Employers who offer practicum opportunities to students in the last semester of their program and wish to hire them under the titles of “social worker” or “social service worker,” will no longer be able to register with the College until they have convocated.
The decision to phase out this process ensures ongoing efficiencies across the organization and is part of our larger work around launching entry-to-practice exams as a registration requirement, which we anticipate will come into effect in 2027. Additionally, the elimination of this process for pre-convocation registration will increase efficiencies and improve overall application processing times.
As we continue to assess our policies and processes in this changing regulatory landscape, we remain open to opportunities to further collaborate with educators and employers as important partners within our registrants’ journey to ethical and professional practice.
For questions or inquiries about the elimination of pre-convocation registration, contact the Registration and Renewals Department at info@ocswssw.org.
Sincerely,
Denitha Breau,
RN, MSN, MBA
Registrar and CEO