Centennial College's Healthcare Environmental Services Management (HESM) program was designed to meet the high demand for qualified environmental services managers with the ability to develop systems and processes to protect workers, clients and patients from environmental hazards in the health care setting and operate buildings that are safe.

Today's health care environment is changing, and there's an increased need for infection control measures, outbreak or pandemic planning, isolation cleaning levels, emergency preparedness and timely response in the health care setting. In this college health diploma program's courses, students will learn to develop, implement, and monitor operating systems and preventative maintenance in the housekeeping, laundry, maintenance and transportation areas within the environmental department of a health care facility. They will also learn about the emergence of new technologies and modernized processes to fight antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" and to help support disease control of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs).

The curriculum will include concepts of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as well as going "green" for a healthier environment and to reduce pollution and the carbon footprint. Students will also research the use of effective eco-friendly products with lower volatile organic compounds.

To help students acquire the necessary skills, the HESM program will also expose them to the industry's best practices and continuous quality improvements to coordinate and monitor building, sanitation, maintenance and operating systems. Students will also be informed of the wide range of environmental issues health care facilities encounter as they work to comply with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Health Canada, Occupational Health and Safety, Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) and other regulatory requirements. As part of Public Health Ontario, the PIDAC has created best practice documents, reports and recommendations on matters related to communicable diseases, immunization, and infection prevention and control and surveillance. Centennial College's HESM program is recognized as a recommended program that managers and supervisors in environmental service departments can attend when directly related to environmental cleaning in health care.

Through this offering, students will combine health care environmental service knowledge with business and human relations, critical thinking and problem solving skills. This combination will prepare them to work with a diverse team in this challenging field.

As a Centennial College HESM student and graduate, students may be eligible to apply for Ontario Healthcare Housekeepers' Association and Canadian Association of Environmental Management memberships. Both are recommended for employment opportunities.