Provincial Grant Enables Career Forums for Senior High School Students

Waterloo – Senior secondary school students in Waterloo Region will have a career choice advantage thanks to the provincial government and the local Business and Education Partnership (BEP). An Ontario Trillium Foundation grant of $96,000 to the BEP will enable students to attend day-long forums to help determine their career direction and prepare for employment in a chosen field.

“Through the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, our government is helping local high school students make informed decisions about their future, preparing them for successful careers in a number of economic sectors,” said John Milloy, MPP Kitchener Centre. “Investing in their future now will pay dividends for Ontario through creation of a skilled workforce. It’s a win-win for the education system and employers.”

Secondary schools in the region have already implemented curriculum tracks called Specialist High Skills Majors including courses appropriate to seven segments: Arts and Culture; Construction; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and Communications Technologies (ICT); Manufacturing; and Transportation. The BEP program complements the high school courses by connecting students with employers through tours of businesses, a ‘Science Superheroes’ lecture series, and conferences and seminars for students. All students, whether targeting post-secondary education, immediate employment after high school, apprenticeships, or other career choices, can benefit from the streamlined curriculum that helps them experience the workplace.

The new BEP forums supported by the Trillium funds will give Grade 11 and 12 students a sense of what working in their preferred field would be like, the opportunities and challenges, and the skills they need to hone in order to qualify. Alayne Hynes, BEP program manager, equates it to ‘speed dating’ where students can connect with a variety of experts and find a suitable career match. Work to establish the forum content and logistics will begin immediately with the goal of staging forums in 2010.

“In an academic environment it’s sometimes difficult for students to determine what career choices they should make. Our programs are designed to bring the workplace closer to students and connect them with experts in their preferred field for real-life coaching,” said Hynes.

Preliminary plans for forums include keynote speakers with extensive industry background, an employer panel to discuss career options, speed sessions connecting experts and small groups of students, interactive displays, workshops, and company tours.