Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) is a ministry-approved specialized career-focused program for secondary school students. This presentation is an overview on the value of such a program and ICT's relevance in today's education system.

1. Futures in ICT-Ontario
Collaboration Conference
CONFERENCE
May 22nd, 2013
Specialist High Skills Major – ICT Program
Aldo Cianfrini
Ministry of Education

2. Outline of the Presentation:
• Overview of the SHSM program growth
• Ensuring a program for all 4 pathways (Why ICT
and not just IT)
• How are our students doing in terms of program
completion?
• Keeping the SHSM at the leading edge
• Additional certifications
• ICE certification – opportunity to be involved
• How are SHSM students recognized?

3. Source:
Double Cohort Study 2005
Dr. Alan King
Year 2000 Ontario Student Flow from
Grade 9 to Post Secondary Destinations After Five Years

4. Goals of Student Success
• Increase graduation rate and decrease dropout rate;
• Support a good outcome for all students;
• Provide students with new and relevant learning opportunities;
• Build on students’ strengths and interests; and
• Provide students with an effective elementary to secondary school,
and secondary to post-secondary school transition

5. • Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
• Dual Credits (DC)
• Expanded Coop
• New Courses
• E-Learning (OERB)
• Student Success Teams
• Student Success Teachers
• Promoting Student Success Culture
• Grade 7,8 & 9 Transition Supports
Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy

6. Specialist High Skills Major
• (SHSM) is a ministry-approved specialized
career-focused program
• allows students to acquire technical knowledge
and skills that are of particular importance in
specific economic sector
• allows students to earn relevant certifications
• obtained while working towards meeting the
requirements for an Ontario Secondary School
Diploma (OSSD).

7. Why ICT and not IT

8. 2006-07
Year 1
2007-08
Year 2
2008-09
Year 3
2009-10
Year 4
2010-11
Year 5
2011-12
Year 6
2012-13
Year 7
600 students in 27
programs in
44 schools
6000 students in
153 programs in
212 schools
14,000 students in
over 480 programs
in
335 schools
20,000 students in
over 740 programs
in
430 schools
28,000 students in
over 1000 programs
in
540 schools
34,000 students
in over 1300
programs in over
630 schools
38,000 students in
over 1,500
programs in
over 640 schools
Sectors:
Arts and Culture
Construction
Hospitality &
Tourism
Manufacturing
Agriculture
Forestry
Horticulture &
Landscaping
Mining
Addition of:
Business
Environment
Health & Wellness
Transportation
Addition of:
Information
Communication
Technology
Justice, Community
Safety and
Emergency
Services
Addition of:
Energy
Aviation
And Aerospace
Addition of:
Sports
Non-profit
No new sectors Food Processing
Funding
$2.7M $7.95M $13.9M $16M $17.45M $22.8M $25.3M
SHSM Program Evolution 2006 – 2013

9. 2011-12 SHSM FOOTPRINT PROVINCE = 9%
Source: SHSM Board Data Reports. 2011-12

10. SHSM Programs by Sector 2012-13 - Province
23
195
3
112
154
39
111
1 6
225
27
142
102
26
85
9
34
67
143
0
50
100
150
200
250
NumberofPrograms

11. Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM)
Program Components
Essential Skills
and work
habits/OSP
Bundle of
Credits
(8-10 credits)
Certifications
and Training
Programs
Experiential
Learning & Career
Exploration
“Reach Ahead”
Experiences

12. Credits Attempted/Achieved for
SHSM and Non-SHSM Students
Source: OnSIS, 2010 -11

13. 36% of Gr. 12 SHSM Students
Complete SHSM with Red Seal
Source: SHSM Board Data Reports. 2011-12

14. % Red Seal Completion by Sector
Source: SHSM Board Data Reports. 2011-12

15. BUNDLE OF CREDITS

16. CREDITS IN THE BUNDLE

17. CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

18. Process to Update the Certification/Training
Requirements

19. Background/Context
Advantage Ontario, December 2012
Jobs and Prosperity Council
Recommendation #8

20. • Volunteer boards to pilot the ICE certification
• Some funding will be provided for pilot
projects, with a reporting requirement as a
deliverable.
• Would need to be completed in Semester 1
2013-14 Semester 1 ICE Pilots

21. What Difference Does an
SHSM Make for Students?

22. OCAS & OUAC Now Tracking SHSM Students

23. OCAS & OUAC Now Tracking SHSM Students

24. St. Mary’s University in Nova Scotia offers a
scholarship for an Ontario SHSM student annually

25. Lakehead University SHSM Incentive Program

26. Template that boards can use with colleges and
universities

27. Specialist High Skills Major Entrance Award
The University of Guelph-Humber will award a $500 scholarship to 25
eligible students who have completed a program-related SHSM. These
include the following SHSM Red Seal diplomas:
• Arts & Culture
• Business
• Health and Wellness
• Justice, Community, Safety & Emergency Services
• Non-Profit
All eligible applicants, who have completed the Specialist High Skills
Major are automatically considered for this award. No application is
necessary.

28. Ontario Agricultural College: 3 x $1,000 SHSM
Scholarships

29. Qs and As
aldo.cianfrini@ontario.ca