What is Pathways?
Pathways is an umbrella term that encompasses the various options that are available to our students when preparing for their chosen post-secondary pathway of college, university, apprenticeship, or workplace.
Pathways initiatives provide a wide range of course types, programs and learning opportunities to prepare students for success in secondary school and beyond. Secondary schools offer a variety of course types to meet the needs of all learners.
Each pathway includes different course types and may also include specialized regional pathways programs. Pathways are flexible and may be combined and changed. As students begin to know themselves as learners they have the opportunity to adjust pathway plans as they move through secondary school, with the assistance of their Guidance Counsellor and parents.
Visit haltonpathways.ca to learn more.
Pathways Program Options
Pathways Programs are contextualized learning experiences that incorporate real world situations, curriculum integration, and cross-curricular literacy and numeracy. The goal of Pathways is to provide a variety of engaging learning opportunities to facilitate the development of learners who know themselves (including the ability to identify strengths, accomplishments, and competencies) and are able to create a Pathways Plan to work towards their goals and future education and career opportunities.
Students are encouraged to contact their Guidance Counsellor to discuss their post-secondary and pathways options.
Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM)
The Specialist High Skills Major program is a ministry-approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the requirements to graduate from secondary school. It also assists in their transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace.
Each Specialist High Skills Major is a bundle of 8 to 10 courses within a selected field/sector completed in grades 11 and 12. Students choosing a SHSM program learn on the job with employers as well as in school, earning valuable industry certification and training related to their chosen sector.
Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)
The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) is an opportunity for students who are currently enrolled full time in a secondary school, with at least 16 credits, and 16 years of age or older, to try an apprenticeable trade through a high school cooperative education program.
High School Students have the opportunity to become registered apprentices and work towards becoming certified journeypersons in a skilled trade while completing their secondary school diploma.
Pathways Specialty Programs
There are a number of specialty programs offered through Pathways to further your learning. Specialty Pathways Programs provide opportunities for specialized learning through focused course packages, often tied to experiential learning through cooperative education. Some specialty Pathways programs can be taken on their own or as part of a Specialist High Skills Major.
Learn more about Pathways Specialty Programs.
Dual Credit Program
Our Board partners with Sheridan College, Mohawk College, Humber College and Seneca College to offer Dual Credit Programs that allow our students to simultaneously earn high school and college credits towards their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and a college diploma or Level 1 Apprenticeship Training.
Learn more about Dual Credit Programs.
Cooperative Education
Cooperative Education (Co-op) allows students to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement. The integrated Co-op course connects prior learning/credits and related work experience. Students can apply up to two Co-op credits towards their compulsory course requirements, with no limit on earning elective credits.