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Specialist High Skills Major

Specialist High Skills Major offers you an opportunity to complete your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) while focusing on a specific economic sector and supporting transitions to college, apprenticeship, university and the workplace. Sixteen economic sectors are represented and all boards must have Ministry approval in order to offer a SHSM.

Every SHSM must include the following five components, which are outlined in detail in ministry-approved frameworks developed for each area of specialization:

  1. Bundle of credits
    A defined bundle of credits consisting of eight to ten Grade 11 and Grade 12 credits, including cooperative education credits
  2. Certification and training experiences
    Sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses
  3. Experiential learning and career exploration activities
    Experiential learning and career exploration activities within the sector
  4. Reach aheadexperiences
    Learning experiences connected with the student's postsecondary plans
  5. Sector-partnered experiences
    Experiences in which students engage with a sector partner to explore sector-related content, skills, and knowledge involving either ICE (innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship), coding, or mathematical literacy.

Learn more about the Facilitated Access to Skilled Trades (F.A.S.T.) application