Information and Communications Technology

The SHSM–Information and Communications Technology enables students to build a foundation of sector-focused knowledge and skills before graduating and entering apprenticeship training, college, university, or an entry-level position in the workplace. Where local circumstances allow, boards may elect to offer one or more variants of the SHSM in a given sector, each with a particular area of focus. This SHSM may be designed to have a particular focus – for example, on communication systems, computer systems, or software and digital media. This focus is achieved through the selection of the four major credits in the bundle.

Required Components for the SHSM–Information and Communications Technology

The SHSM–Information and Communications Technology has the following five required components:

1. A bundle of nine Grade 11 and Grade 12 credits

These credits make up the bundle:

• four information and communications technology major credits that provide sector-specific knowledge and skills. The four courses must include at least one Grade 11 and one Grade 12 credit, and may include one cooperative education credit related to the sector. (This cooperative education credit would be additional to the two that are required in the bundle; see below);
• three other required credits from the Ontario curriculum. Schools may commit to including a contextualized learning activity (CLA) for the information and communications technology sector in each of the three credits. In each credit, some of the course expectations are then met through the CLA. (Schools that do not formally commit to including CLAs are still free to offer them in one or more of the credits.) The three credits include:
  • one in English;^{footnote 1[1]}
  • one in mathematics; and
  • one in the arts or business studies or science (or a cooperative education credit related to the sector, which would be additional to the two cooperative education credits required in the bundle; see below);
• two cooperative education credits that provide authentic learning experiences in a workplace setting, enabling students to refine, extend, apply, and practise knowledge and skills outlined in the cooperative education curriculum as well as sector-specific knowledge and skills.

Note: Multiple credits in the Ontario technological education curriculum allow additional instructional time for the practice and refinement of skills needed to develop student performance to the levels required for certification, entry into apprenticeship programs, or participation in school–work transition programs (see The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Technological Education, 2009, page 17).

2. Sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses/programs

This SHSM sector requires students to complete a specified number of compulsory and elective sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses/programs, as indicated in the following table. Note: Where an item in the table is capitalized, it is the proper name of the specific certification or training course/program that is appropriate for the SHSM. Where an item is lowercased, it is the name of an area, type, or category of training for which specific certifications or training courses/programs should be selected by the school or board. The requirements are summarized in the table below.

Three (3) compulsory

Three (3) electives from the list below

3. Experiential learning and career exploration activities

Experiential learning and career exploration opportunities relevant to the sector might include the following:

• one-on-one observation of a cooperative education student at a placement in the ICT sector (an example of job twinning)
• a day-long observation of an ICT sector worker (e.g., telecommunications technician) (an example of job shadowing)
• a one- or two-week work experience with a member of an industry association or a professional in the ICT sector (e.g., a computer game developer) (an example of work experience)
• attendance at a sector or trade show, a conference, a symposium, or a job fair
• participation in a local, provincial, or national contest or competition with a focus on ICT
• a tour of a local television/film studio or network monitoring centre

4. Reach ahead experiences

Students are provided one or more reach ahead experiences – opportunities to take the next steps along their chosen pathway – as shown in the following examples:

• Apprenticeship: visiting an approved apprenticeship delivery agent in the sector
• College: interviewing a college student enrolled in a sector-specific program
• University: observing a university class in a sector-related program
• Workplace: interviewing an employee in the sector

5. Sector-partnered experiences (SPEs)

Students engage with a sector partner and apply skills to gain insight into the relationship between this sector and ICE (innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship), coding, and/or mathematical literacy.

Pathways for the SHSM–Information and Communications Technology

See the table illustrating the four pathways and required credits leading to completion of this SHSM

Awareness building (Grades 7 and 8)

See Section B3.4 for information on building awareness of SHSM programs among students in Grades 7 and 8.

Exploration (Grades 9 and 10)

See Section B3.4 for information on providing Grade 9 and 10 students with opportunities for exploration of SHSM programs. In addition, students considering this SHSM can be encouraged to enrol in the following courses to become better informed about careers and postsecondary options in the sector:

• Exploring Technologies: This Grade 9 course is recommended for all students following SHSM pathways that have a technological education focus. The course provides students with opportunities to explore a variety of technologies, including ICT, by engaging in activities related to them.
• Career Studies (compulsory) and Discovering the Workplace: Some of the expectations in these Grade 10 courses provide opportunities for students to explore occupations and other postsecondary options in the sector and to participate in experiential learning activities.
• Communications Technology (TGJ2O), Introduction to Computer Studies (ICS2O), or Computer Technology (TEJ20): These courses are recommended for any Grade 10 student who is considering enrolling in an SHSM–Information and Communications Technology program. They provide students with opportunities to explore the ICT sector, identify personal interests and aptitudes, and gain a better understanding of the program.

Specialization (Grades 11 and 12)

Students acquire the sector-specific knowledge and technical skills required to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with an SHSM–Information and Communications Technology by completing its five required components. Students and their parents/guardians are encouraged to consult with guidance counsellors and teachers to select the courses that will enable students to pursue their goals.

Students have the option of choosing an arts, a science, or a business studies course, depending on their SHSM focus and postsecondary plans, as shown in the following examples.

• Students focusing on communications systems who have an interest in telecommunications might take a science course, whereas students interested in broadcast technology might take a science or visual arts course, or a business studies course in ICT.
• Students focusing on computer systems and who are planning to go to university to pursue a career in computer engineering, or to enter an apprenticeship or college program to become a hardware or network technician, might take a course in physics.
• Students focusing on software and digital media (e.g., developing video or computer games, 3-D modelling, or simulations) might consider taking a physics or visual arts course, whereas students interested in web page design might take visual arts or a business studies course in marketing or entrepreneurship.

Students pursuing an apprenticeship pathway should consider the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), which enables them to start an apprenticeship while earning their OSSD.

Students pursuing a university pathway are advised to complete their required cooperative education credits in Grade 11, in order to allow room in their timetables in Grade 12 for credits needed to meet university entrance requirements.

When helping students plan their SHSMs, particularly with respect to the selection of courses to fulfil the requirement for credits in the major, teachers should bear in mind that technological education courses can be offered as single-credit or multiple-credit courses.

Program Pathways: SHSM–Information Communications Technology

This template shows program requirements for the SHSM–Information Communications Technology in Grades 11 and 12, along with some of the additional credits needed for an OSSD. It is provided to help guide students in choosing the credits they need to meet the SHSM requirements in the pathway of their choice. Students should always review their pathways plan with their parents/guardians and their teachers to ensure that they have all the credits they need to graduate with an SHSM–Information Communications Technology.

• Shaded boxes represent required credits in the bundle for the SHSM–Information Communications Technology.
• (C) represents a compulsory credit for the OSSD.
• The SHSM bundle of credits must include two cooperative education credits, but may include a maximum of four. The possible options are noted below, and explained fully in Section A1.2 of this guide.

* A contextualized learning activity (CLA) must be included in the course in schools that have committed to offering CLAs (see "Other Required Credits" in section A1.2). (Note that students must take Grade 11 and Grade 12 English to graduate with an OSSD, but the CLA may be offered in either grade.)

** May be taken the summer before Grade 11

Note: To guide students and teachers in the development of their SHSM program, schools can access the latest approved SHSM course list for each sector through their SHSM board lead.

Occupations in the Information and Communications Technology Sector

The following table provides examples of occupations in the ICT sector, with corresponding National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, sorted according to the type of postsecondary education or training the occupations would normally require.

Note: This information is based on the 2016 NOC. An update to the NOC in 2016 resulted in changes to the codes and titles for some occupations, and in some cases to the occupations included in the group. For more detail, refer to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) web page, Ontario's Labour Market. (Note also that some of the names of occupations listed here reflect common usage in the sector and may differ slightly from those used in the NOC system.)

Postsecondary Programs and Training in the Information and Communications Technology Sector

The following are examples of programs and training related to careers in the ICT sector and the accreditations associated with each.