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The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) has been described by the Ministry of Education as the "el primo" pathway program. Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs allow students to focus on knowledge and skills that are of particular importance to them. Programs are offered in 8 sectors: Health & Wellness; Arts & Culture; Business; Community Development & Public Service; Construction; Energy; Hospitality; and Transportation. Students enrolled in a SHSM program are able to obtain the necessary certifications required by their sector as they work towards meeting the requirements of an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
These specialized skills will become increasingly important in the next decade. The Hamilton Training and Advisory Board recently reported that 50,000 new workers will be needed in Hamilton by the year 2016 as a result of job growth and retirements. The highest turnover rate will be in health occupations across all categories. Other sectors expected to experience high turnovers are law, social services and business. And, reports the HTAB, Hamilton does not have enough young people to fill the jobs. The level of literacy and numeracy needed to function effectively in an increasingly competitive work environment is now greater than ever. For workers and young people who possess the necessary skills, opportunities will abound, says Student Success Consultant Colleen McPhee.
"Closing the achievement gap, engaging our students and preparing them for the 21st Century is our imperative as educators," adds McPhee. "The Specialist High Skills Major program is one of the strategies that does this, because our students see the relevancy of the learning to their lives."
"It is not just about doing things better," she says, "it is about doing better things. It is about exposing our students to challenging class work. It is about demonstrating through experiential learning opportunities, how they will use what they are learning. And it is about building caring and supportive connections with students, which include partnerships with parents and our Hamilton community."
Programs are currently offered at:
| SHSM Program |
Bishop
Ryan |
Bishop
Tonnos |
Cardinal
Newman |
Cathedral |
St. Jean de
Brébeuf |
St. Mary |
St. Thomas
More |
| Arts & Culture |
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| Business |
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| Pending Ministry Approval
2012-13 |
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| Construction |
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| Energy |
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| Health & Wellness |
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| Manufacturing-Food Focus |
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| Pending Ministry Approval
2012-13 |
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| Transportation |
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| Pending Ministry Approval
2012-13 |
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For more information, please visit the board's Pathways to Success website at www.pathtosuccess.ca.
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