School to Career

Information and Communications Technology Specialist High Skills Major

The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program in Information and Communications Technology (IT) gives students an opportunity to specialize, gain qualifications, and plan a career pathway in various areas of the Communications and IT 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 Communications or Information Technology (2 in Grade 11 and 2 in Grade 12)
• Supporting credits: 1 Grade 12 English credit, 1 Grade 11 math credit, 1 art, business studies or science 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, math, or art, business or science, include units and other opportunities for SHSM students to learn in the context of the sector they have chosen
• i.e. Students develop a plan for managing their Communications company in their business course
  
• Certifications and Awareness Training: Sector-recognized certifications related to the major and selected from a list, including Standard First Aid, CPR Training, WHMIS and three electives specific to the Communications and Information Technology sector
  
• 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: Information and Communications Technology

For more information on the Specialist High Skills Major Information and Communications Technology program, contact your school guidance counsellor, log onto OnSorts.ca or contact the program teacher.