The aim of the SHSM program is to allow high school students across Ontario to take courses designed to suit their interests, thus encouraging students to become more engaged in their school life and work, and to fuel students’ desire to finish high school and pursue further education. The program includes both classroom work and field placements. As well, participants must complete various industry certifications, such as C.P.R training, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and first aid. All school boards across Ontario have access to the program, and each board decides which of its high schools will host the program.

Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne, who recently toured Waterdown District High School (WDHS) with Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale MPP Ted McMeekin, discussed the expansion of the SHMS program to the Review.

“The SHMS was introduced a couple of years ago. There were 600 students involved, and there are 14,000 students involved this year. We have 14 offerings now, including the two new ones – it’s growing. There is construction, manufacturing, tourism, cooking, health, agriculture, mining, arts and culture. It just runs the full gamut,” she said.

The opportunity to explore different career paths helps students focus and get hands-on experience with the work they wish to pursue for the future, and to rule out what won’t work for them, she noted.

“The importance of this program is that it engages kids that otherwise might not be engaged. It’s not all kids who are at risk who take advantage of the High School Majors, but it’s also kids at risk who do. That means we have our graduation rates up and that’s the point. To make sure that every child who comes into the system finds what they need in order to be able to go on and have a fulfilling life,” explained Wynne, adding that the program also boosts their applications to post-secondary institutions as well as their resumes.

Graduation rates have increased over from 68 per cent to 75 per cent since 2003, thanks in part to the SHSM program.

“The program is an acknowledgement on the part of the government that young people learn in different ways, and have different interests,” said McMeekin. “We can’t assume that just one channel will satisfy all the learning needs of students, because students frequently learn differently and many have an idea of what they want to do with their lives. They need to be presented with opportunities to acquire a skill set necessary to enter that field. So the SHSM enables that to happen. I can think of, tied with co-op education, at least a dozen students who probably are staying in school because of the opportunities presented by both the co-op education program and the SHSM program.”

McMeekin explained that the biggest challenge faced by the government is keeping up with the incredible demand for the program.

“What started as a couple of pilots has now infiltrated the entire school system,” he said. “Students are happier and the learning is, in many cases, seen to be more relevant to them. Parents are pleased because their kids are staying in school”.

McMeekin also explained that it is part of the government’s ‘Learning 18’ strategy. “We think that our single most important asset in the province of Ontario is people, particularly young people. We need to ensure they have the opportunity to acquire the skills they need to succeed in life, and in an increasingly difficult global economy.”

WDHS does not offer SHSM fully yet, but does offer students certain aspects affiliated with the program.

“We do have certain components ready to go,” said WHDS Principal Helen MacGregor. “The program we run right now is a certification program. The students can get their WHMIS certification and Microsoft, and some other ones. That’s a small component of the SHSM program. We are hoping to implement more over the next couple of years; it’s dependent on the expansion and getting our specialty areas expanded. That is our immediate focus.”

The Specialist High Skills Majors Program is offered in 338 high schools across Ontario.

More information is available online, at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsucess/SHSM.hmtl