News

Activities planned to celebrate launch of new high skills major

April 20, 2010

Lasalle Secondary School students will take part in a full day of activities Thursday to celebrate the launch of the Specialist High Skills Major in Energy.

"Many jobs are opening up in the energy sector and, with new technologies for sustainable living, even more opportunities await our students," said education director Jean Hanson in a press release.

"Students who complete a major graduate from secondary school with the knowledge, skills, and industry-recognized qualifications valued by employers. They are well prepared to pursue postsecondary education and training in their sector of choice."

Workshops on Thursday will focus on environmental responsibility, energy conservation, power distribution and power generation in conjunction with Earth Day.

Lasalle is one of five schools in Ontario offering a Specialist High Skills Major in Energy. The Specialist High Skills Major in Business was introduced at Lasalle three years ago and continues to be a popular path for students.

In addition to energy and business, Rainbow District School Board offers Specialist High Skills Majors in arts and culture, health and wellness, and mining.

Specialist high skills majors allow students in grades 11 and 12 to bundle courses in a particular sector. Students engage in hands-on learning through job shadowing, work experience and co-operative education. They also earn valuable industry certifications.

The goal of the specialist high skills majors is to prepare students for a successful transition to apprenticeship training, college, university or employment while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and the needs of local industry.

Having industry representatives involved in building the program from the ground up ensures that it is both responsive and relevant.

"Steering committees continue to provide invaluable input to the various components of the specialist high skills majors, including certification, course development, co-operative education placements and teacher professional learning," said Rainbow board chair Tyler Campbell.

"The broader community is having an important say in preparing their future workforce. This is a huge step forward for Rainbow Schools, our students and the communities that we serve."

The full day of activities for Lasalle Secondary School students on Thursday will also showcase the importance of partnerships in education, enable students to explore career opportunities, and celebrate Earth Day by promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability.

The day will feature a variety of workshops, from Greater Sudbury Hydro Inc. educating students about smart meters and some of the initiatives they can participate in to help reduce their energy consumption at home; to students speaking to other students about how to get involved in the Light Up Costa Rica project.