Ontario Expanding Specialist High Skills Majors and Dual Credit Programs to Support High School Students

Brampton-Springdale MPP, Harinder Malhi, is pleased to announce that Ontario is expanding two programs to help more high school students get the skills and knowledge they need for jobs of the future and to earn credits towards the next step in their postsecondary education.

This fall, the province’s Specialist High Skills Majors program will be expanded to accommodate an additional 2,000 students and just over 100 new programs for the 2016-17 school year. As a result, more than 48,000 students will be enrolled in 1,835 Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs across the province. This innovative, high demand program lets high school students focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests while meeting the requirements of their high school diploma. Grade 11 and 12 students can choose from 19 different sectors including Aviation/Aerospace, Environment, Hospitality and Tourism, and Transportation. The program helps prepare them for apprenticeship training, college, university, or the workplace.

By the end of 2016-17, all SHSM program participants will have access to an innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship module that was developed in partnership with the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. This training is part of a developing strategy to help the province’s workforce adapt to the demands of a technology–driven economy and develop valuable problem-solving skills.

MPP Malhi also announced that the province is expanding the Dual Credit program to include 400 more students next year. This program supports students who participate in apprenticeship training and postsecondary courses which earn them dual credits that count towards both their high school diploma and their postsecondary studies. Dual Credit programs help students move from high school to college and apprenticeship programs while getting a start on learning and training for their future careers.

Helping high school students prepare for the demands of tomorrow’s workforce is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.

The Specialist High Skills Majors program is helping students see connections between their studies, the world beyond high school, and their future careers. By expanding the program, we’re helping more students gain the competitive edge they will need to succeed now and in the future.

 – Hon. Liz Sandals, Minister of Education

“The Specialist High Skills Majors and Dual Credit programs help students reach their full potential by giving them the pathway to innovative, engaging and quality learning opportunities that help them focus on a career path. They provide support to students by enhancing their skill sets and teaching how to apply them in their own field of focus, while preparing them for the jobs of the future.”

– Harinder Malhi, MPP, Brampton-Springdale.