Specialist High Skills Major
What is a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)?
An 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 an SHSM
Pursuing an SHSM enables students to:
- customize their secondary school education to suit their interests and talents
- develop specialized knowledge and skills
- earn credits that postsecondary educational institutions and the sector recognize
- gain sector-recognized certification and career-relevant training
- develop Essential Skills and work habits documented through the Ontario Skills Passport
- 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
How is an SHSM recognized?
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
SPECIALIST HIGH SKILLS MAJOR (SHSM)
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The Hospitality & Tourism industry is both a global employer, as well as an expanding employment sector in the growing Region of Peel, (Region of Peel finance report, 2012). This SHSM program will produce graduates to help fill the ongoing demand for well trained or qualified people to become part of the Hospitality & Tourism industry. The Vicinity Jobs, Inc. website reports that despite current economic challenges, employment in the service sector continues on its long-term upward trend, growing 2.0 percent since October 2010 and that the subsector experiencing the most growth is accommodation and food services, which has risen by 8.2 percent. The Peel Region is a major area of residential and service industry growth, with an estimated population growth rate of 11% or more than 160,000 more people within the next 9 years (Region of Peel finance Report, 2012). As development moves further north into the new subdivisions being created around Louise Arbour Secondary School, there is a noticeable increase in new restaurants, hotels and catering/banquet halls to support the new residents of these areas. New establishments are opening weekly in North Brampton, including restaurants, grocery stores, and hospitals and catering companies, offering a wide variety of new partners that can provide sector-related experiential opportunities and long term employment for our students. Our program is designed to provide our students with authentic life experiences such as catering and serving lunches in our school restaurant and preparing food for our rapidly expanding school catering business. Experiencing "real life work" first hand and perhaps will give practical opportunities to determine if this is an area of employment that they would like to pursue following secondary school. By offering the students a wider range of sector-related courses and CLAs, students will better understand the realities of the Hospitality & Tourism industry. In order to complete an SHSM in Hospitality students must: - Complete a bundle of 9 specific courses (see chart below);
- Complete Sector Certifications and/or training programs;
- Participate in experiential learning and career exploration activities within the sector (e.g. co-op work experience, job shadowing, job twinning);
- Learn and document the industry Essential Skills and work habits using the Ontario Skills Passport;
- Gain "Reach Ahead" experience connected to the student's post secondary plans.
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SHSM students may complete credits from any pathway in combination according to the following chart:
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Northeast Brampton is a rapidly growing region, with residential, commercial and institutional development. According to the Peel Halton Workforce Development Group's "Trends, Opportunities, Priorities Top Report for April 2010," Brampton has identified specific industry subsectors to meet their future economic development and employment needs including entrepreneurship, innovation and new product development. Advertising and graphic design play a key role in facilitating the development and promotion of these needs by working with local businesses to help them promote their new business and innovative products/services. In order to meet this demand, Louise Arbour Secondary School is excited to offer this unique program. The Graphic Design and Marketing Industry acknowledge and support the program through certifications and appropriate industry placements. The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) – Arts & Culture with a focus on Design & Marketing exposes students to a variety of advertising areas including events planning, creative layout, copyrighting, graphic design, marketing and project management using industry-specific technology available at Louise Arbour Secondary School. The students in this program will complete a package of courses that meets the needs of students with an interest in developing the skills necessary for a career in the Design and Marketing Industry. The Design and Marketing Industry acknowledges and supports the program through certification and appropriate industry co-operative learning placements. In order to complete an SHSM in Arts and Culture – Advertising students must: - Complete a bundle of 8 specific courses (see chart below);
- Complete Sector Certifications and/or training programs;
- Participate in experiential learning and career exploration activities within the sector (e.g. co-op work experience, job shadowing, job twinning);
- Learn and document the industry Essential Skills and work habits using the Ontario Skills Passport;
- Gain "Reach Ahead" experience connected to the student's post-secondary plans.
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SHSM students may complete credits from any pathway in combination according to the following chart:
*For additional information on specific SHSM program course requirements, see a school guidance counsellor.