High school students in the Upper Grand District School Board will have more opportunities for hands-on learning thanks to the government’s growing Specialist High Skills Major program, Perth-Wellington MPP John Wilkinson announced on Oct. 2.
“I am delighted that both Wellington Heights Secondary School and Norwell District High School students will have a greater chance to succeed by being provided hands-on work experience in their own community,” said Wilkinson.
“The Specialist High Skills Majors program allows students to focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests with opportunities to test-drive their career while in school.”
At Wellington Heights in Mount Forest, new majors being offered include arts and culture, health and wellness and manufacturing. At Norwell in Palmerston, new majors include business, construction, environment and health and wellness.
“The expansion of the Specialist High Skills Major programs at Wellington Heights and Norwell shows how valuable these hands-on, in depth courses are,” said Bob Borden, chairman of the Upper Grand District School Board.
“They’re all about making the high school experience relevant and providing students with a true pathway to their ongoing success in the future.”
Since 2003-04, 36,000 additional students have achieved their high school diploma with help from the government’s Student Success programs, including the Specialist High Skills Major.
Specialist High Skills Majors are available in more than 430 high schools in all Ontario school boards with a high school. About 20,000 students will take one of the 16 majors this year, compared with 600 students just three years ago.
At Wellington Heights, there are more than 160 kids involved, and last year the school had five graduates from the manufacturing course.
The project’s community partnerships include Saugeen Nursing Centre, Farm Servicing Welding and Machine Shop, JJ McLellan and Son Plumbing and Heating and Conestoga College.
Wellington Heights principal Rick Goodbrand was pleased Wilkinson was there to make the announcement.
Goodbrand cited the school’s involvement last year with the construction program.
“We’re happy that we’ve been approved for expansion’” he said. “As I look at my kids, my students, I know that it’s already been of benefit to them and will continue to be of benefit to the students here and to the future students.”
In the manufacturing shop, Wilkinson said “One of the places in Ontario where [the program] is most successful is right here in our local school board. I’m here just to celebrate the fact we’re adding even more high skills majors right here at the home of the Wolverines.
He explained, “The reason that we have this program is pretty simple.” When he was getting out of high school over 30 years ago, a person could graduate from what used to be grade 13 and go into the workforce “and some kids went to college, and even fewer kids went to university.”
He said, “Well, you know, we’re in the 21st century, and to get a good job, you need to get a post-secondary education. You need to get a trade, or a college diploma, or you need to get a university degree … if you are going to get a great career.
“What we are doing in the high school is exposing more and more of our young people to the possibilities of all the different careers … There’s a whole range of programs that have been added.”
Upper Grand District School Board Trustee Bruce Scheick thanked Wilkinson for coming to the area with the announcement.
“In our rural communities the Specialist High School Majors program is popular with students and is making their high school experience relevent, and providing them with very valuable skills that will help them in the future as they decide what directions they wish to go,” Schieck said.
“It’s often very difficult to know what you want to do. It gives them that opportunity. It’s also rewarding to know that the businesses in our community support these programs. We’re proud of these partnerships which bring local communities together.”
The ministry has put some $800,000 towards the program in the school board district.
Charles Benyair, project leader for the school board, said, “We were a lead board in piloting the program. We started off with one program in Guelph with 40 kids in manufacturing and four years later we have 1,000 students in 38 different programs throughout the board.”
He explained the programs were varied, ranging from manufacturing to arts and culture to hospitality.
“Wellington Heights has been a true leader in the north for us in the high skills majors,” he said.
School staff member Frances McDonald, explained what was done at Wellington Heights was, “We spoke to the community.” She also considered graduations.
“One of the things I did last year was do an inventory of where our students were going. I realized we had some real value with community partners. Mount Forest and the surrounding area is absolutely amazing supporting the school and its students.
“We focussed on the areas where our grads were heading to and potential secondary education … We should have business in place by next year and eventually … an aggie program if we can get it connected.
“That’s really where the heart is,” McDonald said.
She said even those involved in the construction or manufacturing programs eventually end up complementing their farming or agricultural careers.
“I think the kids have really bought into this. They love the additional things that go along with it, such as the certification. They like the exposure.
“A few of the kids thought they would head in one particular direction for a career pathway, but once they’d taken a co-op and once they’ve had more experience in that area, they’ve ended up going in an entirely different direction. It’s been beneficial for all of us.”
McDonald added, “Plus, it gets them re-engaged in the program, an internal awakening that they are responsible for their own education.”
She said two female graduates of the program have gone on to become auto mechanics.
Benyair said Wellington Heights has 85 students enrolled in the program, which amounts to over 10% of the student population.
That puts the school over the provincial forecast of 8% participation.
