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Community and Emergency Services Specialist High Skills Major
The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program in Community and Emergency Services gives students an opportunity to specialize, gain qualifications, and plan a career pathway in various areas of the Community and Emergency Services sectors while still in high school. The SHSM Program has a number of required components, designed to give students a "leg-up" to pursue post-secondary opportunities in each of the identified sectors, valuing all 4 destinations.
The Required Components are as follows:
- Bundled Credits: Each SHSM program offers students a bundle of 8 - 10 credits, including:
- 4 "major" credits in Community and Emergency Services (2 in Grade 11 and 2 in Grade 12)
- Supporting credits: 1 Grade 12 English credit, 1 Grade 11 math credit, 2 cooperative education credits, and other complimenting credits depending on the program, that will be delivered in the context of that sector
- Contextualized Learning Activities: Supporting credits, such as English, or math include units and other opportunities for SHSM students to learn in the context of the sector they have chosen
- i.e. Students write an essay on their future career in Emergency Services and what it is like to help others in the community
- Certifications and Awareness Training: Sector-recognized certifications related to the major and selected from a list, including Standard First Aid, CPR Training, Conflict Resolution, WHMIS and three electives specific to the Community and Emergency Services sector, such as basic military training
- Experiential Learning Opportunities:
- Job-shadowing, job-twinning, work experience
- Minimum of 2 Cooperative Education credits linked to the major
- Field trips, other workplace experiences for students to explore careers related to that sector
- Documentation of Essential Skills and Work Habits through the Ontario Skills Passport
- Reach Ahead Experiences: In the field and sectors considered as a post-secondary destination, ranging from a few hours to full courses (dual credit programs)
- Students can complete the SHSM program to prepare them for their pathway to any of the four post-secondary destinations, apprenticeship, college, university and work
Halton Program Locations: Community and Emergency Services
| Program | Location | Region of Halton | Program Teacher | Contact |
| SHSM in Community Safety & Emergency Services | White Oaks Secondary School | Oakville | Alaeric Sutherland | sutherlanda@hdsb.ca (905) 845-5200 Vm. 601 |
| Canadian Forces Co-Op - Program Information | Burlington Armoury (administered through White Oaks Secondary School) | Burlington | Alaeric Sutherland | sutherlanda@hdsb.ca (905) 845-5200 Vm. 601 |
For more information on the Specialist High Skills Major Community and Emergency Services program, contact your school guidance counsellor, log onto OnSorts.ca or contact the program teacher.