Specialist High Skills Major policy and implementation guide

Courses focused towards a career

What are they?

Specialist High Skills Majors let students focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students receive the SHSM seal on their diploma when they:

• complete a specific bundle of 8-10 courses in the student's selected field
• earn valuable industry certifications including first aid and CPR qualifications
• gain important skills on the job through cooperative education placements.

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Who are they for?

Grade 11 and 12 students who are:

• heading for apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace
• wanting to identify, explore and refine their career goals and make informed choices about their next steps after secondary school.

How can they help?

Students have the opportunity to:

• gain important skills on the job with actual employers, at skills training centres and at school
• earn valuable industry certifications, including first aid and CPR qualifications.

Want to find out what's available?

Specialist High Skills Major programs available in 2021-22

To access school address information, please check the School Information Finder.

Policy and implementation documents, and supplementary resources for SHSM programs:

The content of the SHSM Policy and Implementation Guide follows below. Note that section A3 can be printed by sector.

Abbreviations Used in This Guide

Introduction

1. How This Document Is Organized
2. About the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
3. Overview: The Planning and Implementation Process, Step by Step

A. Policy

• A1. Components of an SHSM
• A2. Documentation Requirements
• A3. Sectors:
  • Agriculture
  • Arts and Culture
  • Aviation and Aerospace
  • Business
  • Construction
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Food Processing
  • Forestry
  • Health and Wellness
  • Horticulture and Landscaping
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Justice, Community Safety, and Emergency Services
  • Manufacturing
  • Mining
  • Non-profit
  • Sports
  • Transportation

B. Implementation

• B1. Organization
  • Establishing an SHSM Plan
  • Establishing SHSM Advisory Committees
  • Establishing a School SHSM Team
  • Developing a Strategic Plan
  • Building Supportive Partnerships
• B2. Planning
  • Selecting Which SHSM to Offer
  • Choosing a Delivery Model
  • Developing a School Action Plan
  • Establishing a Registration Process
• B3. School Considerations
  • Developing SHSM Pathways
  • Timetabling the SHSM
  • Adapting the SHSM for Students with Special Education Needs
  • Promoting and Developing the SHSM
  • Keeping Track of Students' Completion of the SHSM Requirements
  • Sustaining and Growing the SHSM
• B4. Program Evaluation

C. Resources

• Part A: Policy
  • C1. Sector-Partnered Experiences (SPEs): A Fact Sheet for Educators
  • C2. Checklist for Planning and Delivering a Sector-Partnered Experience (SPE)
  • C3. Template: Planning a Sector-Partnered Experience (SPE)
  • C4. Samples: Sector-Partnered Experience (SPE) Self-Assessments
  • C5. Contextualized Learning Activities
• Part B: Implementation
  • C6. Checklist: Responsibilities of Board SHSM Leads and School Teams
  • C7. A Sample School SHSM Action Plan
  • C8. Implementation Checklist for School Principals

SHSM Visual Identity

• Style guide (PDF, 2.24 MB)
• Visual identity graphics (Zip file, 3.34 MB)

Additional Policy and Resource Documents

Workplace Safety Documents:

• Live Safe! Work Smart!
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Coverage for Students in Work Education Programs (PPM No.76A)

ISBN 978-1-4868-2487-8 (HTML)