Education

Canadian Resume Example for Educational Assistants

School boards hire EAs who are calm, trained and steady with students who need extra support. Show your training and the students you have helped, and your resume does the rest.

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Updated 2026-09-27

What does an educational assistant resume need in Canada?

An educational assistant resume for a Canadian employer should fit on 1 to 2 pages. Open with a short summary, then put your EA or educational support certificate near the top, along with CPI and First Aid training. Follow with your work experience, newest first, with numbers wherever you have them. Use the job posting's own words for your skills, and list the ones it asks for first. Leave out your photo, date of birth, marital status and SIN.

• Length: 1 to 2 pages
• Put first: EA certificate
• Layout: Single column
• File type: PDF

A sample educational assistant resume

A sample educational assistant resume in Canadian format. The person and employers are made up.

Rebecca Dubois
Ottawa, ON · (613) 555-0146 · rebecca.dubois@email.com

Summary

Educational assistant with 7 years at a public school board in Ottawa, supporting students with autism and developmental disabilities in K to 8 and in a self-contained ASD program. Trained in CPI, ABA and PECS, experienced with lifts, transfers and personal care, and skilled at collecting IEP data that teachers can use.

Experience

Educational Assistant, ASD Program, Capital Region District School Board, Ottawa, ON, Sep 2023 to Present

• Collected daily behaviour data that helped the team reduce one student's classroom exits from 8 a day to 2
• Built visual schedules and first and then boards that let 2 students move between activities without support
• Provided lifts, transfers and personal care for 3 students using wheelchairs, following each student's safety plan

Educational Assistant, Grade 5, Capital Region District School Board, Ottawa, ON, Sep 2019 to Jun 2023

• Supported 4 students with autism in a grade 5 classroom, helping each meet at least 3 of 4 IEP goals by June
• Ran small-group reading practice for 6 students, 5 of whom moved up at least one reading level

Certifications

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI), 2025
• Standard First Aid and CPR
• Vulnerable Sector Check, 2026

Education

Educational Support diploma, 2019

How to write an educational assistant resume in Canada

Educational assistants, also called education assistants, teacher assistants or special education assistants depending on the province, support students with disabilities, learning needs or behaviour plans. School boards hire a lot of them, often through an occasional or supply list first, and they read resumes for a few specific things: the kinds of needs you have supported, the training you hold, and whether you can handle the physical and emotional side of the job.

Be specific about the students. You do not need names or diagnoses tied to individuals, but you can say you supported students with autism, developmental disabilities, ADHD or physical disabilities, in a regular classroom or a self-contained program, and from which grades. Mention the work behind an Individual Education Plan (IEP): carrying out goals, collecting data and sharing progress with the teacher and family.

Training carries real weight in this job. Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI) or your board's behaviour safety training, basic Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), First Aid and CPR, and experience with communication tools such as PECS or a speech device all belong near the top. If you can do lifts, transfers, feeding or toileting support, say so plainly, because many roles need it and fewer applicants mention it.

The layout rules that apply to every job are in our Canadian resume format guide. If you would rather start from a blank page that already follows them, use a free Canadian resume template.

Educational Assistant professional summary examples

Your summary is the first thing a recruiter reads. Pick the one closest to your own background and change every detail so it describes you.

• Educational assistant with 7 years at a public school board in Ottawa, supporting students with autism and developmental disabilities in K to 8 and in a self-contained ASD program. Trained in CPI, ABA and PECS, experienced with lifts, transfers and personal care, and skilled at collecting IEP data that teachers can use.
• Caring education assistant with 3 years in Surrey elementary schools, supporting students with ADHD, learning disabilities and behaviour plans in inclusive classrooms. Uses visual schedules, regulation breaks and positive reinforcement to keep students learning. Looking for a continuing EA position.
• Patient, reliable Educational Support graduate with a 400-hour placement in a grade 3 classroom and experience at an inclusive summer camp. Trained in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, First Aid and CPR, and comfortable with personal care. Applying to the occasional EA list in Halifax.

Skills to put on an educational assistant resume

List the hard skills first, because they are what screening software and hiring managers search for. Keep soft skills to the ones a bullet point further down can back up.

Hard skills

• IEP implementation and data collection
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI)
• Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) basics
• Behaviour and safety plans
• Visual supports and PECS
• Assistive technology (Proloquo2Go, Boardmaker)
• Lifts, transfers and mobility aids
• Toileting, feeding and personal care
• Literacy and numeracy support
• Regulation and sensory strategies

Soft skills

• Patience
• Calm under pressure
• Empathy
• Consistency
• Teamwork with teachers
• Discretion

Words to mirror from the job posting

Employers and their screening software look for the words they used in the ad. When one of these appears in a posting and it is true for you, use the same wording on your resume.

• educational assistant
• education assistant
• special education
• IEP
• CPI
• ABA
• autism
• inclusive classroom

Work experience bullet examples

Each one starts with what you did and ends with a result. Keep the shape and put your own numbers in.

1. Supported 4 students with autism in a grade 5 classroom, helping each meet at least 3 of 4 IEP goals by June
2. Collected daily behaviour data that helped the team reduce one student's classroom exits from 8 a day to 2
3. Built visual schedules and first and then boards that let 2 students move between activities without support
4. Provided lifts, transfers and personal care for 3 students using wheelchairs, following each student's safety plan
5. Ran small-group reading practice for 6 students, 5 of whom moved up at least one reading level
6. Used CPI de-escalation to keep a student and classmates safe during escalations, with no injuries in 2 years
7. Shared weekly progress notes with families through the classroom app, as directed by the teacher

Certifications and licences that help

Write each one out in full with the issuing body and the date. An employer should never have to guess what an acronym means or whether it has expired.

• Educational Assistant or Educational Support certificate: The college program most boards look for. Include the school, year and placement hours.
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI): Or your board's behaviour safety training, such as Behaviour Management Systems in many Ontario boards. Give the date.
• Standard First Aid and CPR: Almost always required. List the level and expiry date.
• Vulnerable sector check: Every board needs one before you start. Say that yours is current, or that you can provide one.

What recruiters wish you knew

Describe needs, not people

Write about supporting "students with autism in a self-contained program" or "a student using a wheelchair", never names or details that identify a child. Boards notice when you get this right.

Put your training at the top

CPI, ABA, First Aid and personal care experience are often the deciding factors between EA applicants. Do not bury them at the bottom of page two.

Show progress with data

EAs collect data every day. Use some of it: IEP goals met, behaviour incidents reduced, reading levels gained. It shows you are part of the teaching team, not only an extra adult in the room.

The section order for an educational assistant resume

Top to bottom, in the order a hiring manager in this field wants to read it.

1. Contact details. City, phone and email.
2. Professional summary. Your certification, divisions or subjects, and years in the classroom.
3. Certification. Your provincial college membership and qualifications.
4. Teaching experience. School, grade, subject and dates for each role, including occasional work.
5. Education. Your B.Ed. and your first degree.
6. Additional qualifications and skills. AQs, languages, coaching and clubs.

What recruiters check first

Teaching certification, ECE registration or an EA certificate, and the grades or ages you have worked with. Where to put it: Certification, then classroom experience.

Common mistakes on educational assistant resumes

These come up again and again, and each one is quick to fix.

Writing "helped students" without saying how

Say which students you supported, such as students with autism or physical disabilities, what you did with them and what changed. IEP goals met or fewer classroom exits are results a principal can picture.

Leaving out the physical side of the job

Many EA jobs include lifts, transfers, toileting and feeding. If you have done that work safely, say so. It is often a stated requirement, and leaving it off can cost you the interview.

Sharing details about students

Never use names or details a family could recognize. Describe needs in general terms, and show that you follow confidentiality and the teacher's direction.

Before you send it

Six quick checks. Each takes less than a minute.

• The job title in your summary matches the one in the posting.
• Every certification is written out in full, with the issuing body and the expiry date.
• At least half of your bullets include a number.
• There is no photo, date of birth, marital status or SIN.
• It is saved as a PDF, unless the posting asks for a Word file.
• You ran it through the free resume check and fixed what it found.

Educational Assistant resume FAQ

What should an educational assistant resume include?

The kinds of student needs you have supported, the grades and settings, your IEP work and data collection, and your training: CPI, ABA, First Aid and CPR. Add any personal care experience and your vulnerable sector check. Two pages is fine if you have several years of experience.

What skills should an educational assistant put on a resume?

IEP implementation, behaviour support and de-escalation, visual supports and communication tools, personal care and transfers, and literacy and numeracy support. For soft skills, choose patience, calm under pressure, empathy and consistency.

How do I become an educational assistant with no experience?

Most boards want an Educational Assistant or Educational Support certificate from a college, plus First Aid, CPR and a vulnerable sector check. While you train, experience at inclusive camps, respite care or volunteering with children who have disabilities makes your first resume stronger.

Should I mention specific disabilities on my EA resume?

Yes, in general terms. Saying you supported students with autism, Down syndrome or physical disabilities tells a board what you can handle. Never include a child's name, school photo or anything that identifies them.

How do I apply for EA jobs with a school board in Canada?

Many boards post through their own website or a shared portal, such as Apply to Education in Ontario or Make a Future in British Columbia. Many start new EAs on an occasional or supply list. Tailor your resume to each board's posting and keep the training details current.

What is a good objective for an educational assistant resume?

One or two lines on the students you support and the training you bring. For example: CPI-trained educational assistant with three years supporting students with autism, looking for a continuing position in an elementary school.

Related resume examples

• Early Childhood Educator resume example: Lead with your ECE registration, the age groups you know and your programming.
• Teacher resume example: Present provincial certification, practicum, and classroom outcomes for school boards.
• Personal Support Worker (PSW) resume example: Showcase your PSW certificate and hands-on care skills for long-term care employers.
• Caregiver resume example: Highlight childcare, senior care, and home support experience for Canadian families and agencies.

Further reading

• Writing an Entry-Level Resume With No Experience
• Getting a Job in Canada With No Canadian Experience
• How to Write a Cover Letter for a Canadian Resume
• Translating Foreign Job Titles and Credentials for Canada
• The Best Job Search Sites in Canada

Keep building your Canadian resume

• Canadian Resume Format Guide: What to include, what to leave out, and how to structure every section.
• Canadian Resume Template: A free, ATS-safe template with the right sections in the right order.
• ATS Resume Checker Canada: Score your resume against Canadian ATS screening and see exactly what to fix. Free.
• Resume Builder Canada: Build an ATS-ready Canadian resume with the right format and keywords.
• AI Resume Builder Canada: Draft and tailor resumes to each Canadian job posting you paste in.
• Free CV Builder Canada: Turn an international CV into the Canadian format employers expect.

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