Specialist
High Skills Major SHSM
A Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) is a Ministry approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the requirements to graduate from secondary school.
It also assists in their transition after graduation to
apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace.
Key Benefits of a Specialist High Skills Major
Pursuing an SHSM helps students to:
Pursuing an SHSM helps students to:
Customize their secondary school education to suit their interests and talents.
Develop specialized knowledge and skills.
Earn credits that post secondary educational institutions and the sector recognize.
Gain sector-recognized certification and career-relevant training.
Identify, explore and refine career goals and make informed decisions about their future.
Remain flexible, with the option to shift between pathways, should their goals and plans change.
Students who successfully complete an SHSM receive:
An Ontario Secondary School Diploma with an embossed red seal.
An SHSM record documenting his/her achievement.
Formal recognition on his/her Ontario Student Transcript.
Arts & Culture SHSM
The Arts and Culture SHSM 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 dance, dramatic arts management or technical production. This focus is achieved through the selection of the four major credits in the bundle.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/artsCulture.html
Click here to see Arts & Culture SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Tanya Earle, tearle@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Construction SHSM
The Construction SHSM program is a practical and effective way to provide students with skills and construction sector training that assist with the transition of students from secondary school to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace. The construction sector is a growing and rewarding career area and includes fields of work in carpentry, home building, contracting, electrical, flooring, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, roofing, brick and stone masonry, demolition, and architecture and design.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/construction.html
Click here to see Construction SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Joel Kightley, jkightley@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Environment SHSM
The Environment SHSM is a program that allows students to experience and learn through activities based on the environment and sciences. This SHSM program provides important environmental awareness and it gives an excellent foundation for anyone wanting to go into the environmental field. The environment sector is a growing and rewarding career area and includes fields of work in environmental protection, conservation and preservation of natural resources, urban and land use planning and environmental sustainability.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/environment.html
Click here to see Environment SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Drew Quemby, dquemby@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Hospitality & Tourism SHSM
The SHSM Hospitality program is a practical and effective way to provide students with skills and hospitality and tourism sector training that will assist in the transition from secondary school to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace. The hospitality and tourism sector is a growing and rewarding career area and includes fields of work in special events coordination, public health, food and beverage industry, dietician, hotel/resort manager and chef.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/hospitality.html
Click here to see Hospitality & Tourism SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Esther Dietrich, edietrich@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) SHSM
The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) SHSM allows students to build a foundation of skills and knowledge in the communications industry before embarking on their post secondary education. This SHSM focuses on communications systems, design software, digital media and computer technology with courses in tv & film, new media, animation and robotics. Students have an opportunity to participate in sector specific training that will better prepare them for their post secondary education whether it be in college, university or the workplace.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/information.html
Click here to see Information & Communication Technology SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Emily Brown, embrown@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Manufacturing SHSM
The Manufacturing SHSM 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. Students are exposed to a wide variety of careers in the manufacturing sector, from broad areas such as programming, operation, service, and repair to more specific areas such as robotics and advanced manufacturing.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/manufacturing.html
Click here to see Manufacturing SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Joel Kightley, jkightley@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Sports Excellence and Athletic Leadership SHSM
The Sports Excellence and Athletic Leadership SHSM 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 competitive and recreational sports, sports management, or sports media and broadcasting. This focus is achieved through the selection of the four major credits in the bundle.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/sector/sports.html
Click here to see The Sports Excellence and Athletic Leadership SHSM pathway information.
Lead teacher: Meghan O'Neill, meoneill@pvnccdsb.on.ca
Aviation and Aerospace SHSM
The ever-changing nature of aviation and aerospace, the complexity of supply chain dynamics, and the accelerated pace of change in the aerospace sector provide a variety of career opportunities for Ontario students.
The foundation of the program is a Seneca College aeronautics course, which takes place online once per week after school led by a Seneca instructor who also is a commercial pilot. These after-school sessions are augmented by question and answer sessions with professionals from the aviation industry.
Students taking the Aerospace Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM) benefit from rich conversations with aviation professionals such as Air Canada pilots, aviation systems engineers, an industrial drone operator and instructor, a modern aircraft inventor, a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Hercules pilot, RCAF avionic mechanics, and a retired fighter jet pilot.
The program includes two field trips that take place at the Peterborough Airport and at Canadian Forces Base Trenton. These days are filled with hands-on flight simulator experiences and learning from various aviation personnel. The climax of each field trip is a flight. At the Peterborough Airport students finish the day with an introductory flight in a Cessna 4 seater plane. The trip to CFB Trenton last May included the amazing experience of flying as a group in a Hercules.
Core industries in this sector include:
maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for aircraft, engines, avionics, systems, and equipment
design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft, engines, systems, avionics, equipment, and components
flight operations (e.g., pilot training, airport services, air traffic control, and space and equipment handling)
Click here to see Aviation and Aerospace SHSM pathway information.
Lead teachers: Joel Kightley, jkightley@pvnccdsb.on.ca, Matt Bonisteel, mbonisteel@pvnccdsb.on.ca