Close
Skip to Content
HDSB Logo
Main menu icon
I'd Like to...
  • Access eLearning courses
  • Apply for a Job
  • Find Adult and Continuing Education
  • Find My Local School
  • Find Student Busing
  • Get Homework Help
  • Pay Online
  • Register My Child for School
  • Rent School Space
  • Report A Student Absence
  • Request a Transcript
  • Resolve an issue/concern
  • Transfer within the Halton District
  • Volunteer
Alerts
  • Parents
    • Absence Reporting - SchoolMessenger
    • Calendar
    • Get Involved
    • Health and Well-Being
    • New to Halton
    • Register My Child for School
    • Safe and Accepting Schools
    • Transportation
    • Before and After School Care
    • COVID-19
    • Halton Community Resources
    • Human Rights & Equity
    • Pay Online
    • Reopening Schools Plan
    • Special Education Programs and Placements
    • Why Choose HDSB?
    • Bus Cancellation and School Closure – Inclement Weather
    • Find My Local School
    • HDSB Mobile App
    • Kindergarten
    • Privacy and Information Management
    • Report Cards
    • Technology & You
  • Students
    • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
    • COVID-19
    • Generation Green Virtual Conference
    • HDSB Student Excellence Awards - 2020
    • Homework Help, Guidelines and Tools
    • Online Resources
    • Student Senate
    • Welcome Centre for Newcomer Students
    • Calendar
    • Expelled or Suspended Students (H.O.P.E.S.)
    • Graduation Requirements
    • Health and Well-Being
    • International Students
    • Safe and Accepting Schools
    • Transcript Requests
    • Community Involvement Hours
    • First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students
    • Halton Cloud
    • High School Info Night
    • Library Services
    • Secondary School
    • Virtual Learning
  • Schools
    • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
    • Distribution of Materials to Schools
    • Information Technology in Schools
    • Program Accommodation Studies
    • Rent School Space
    • School Construction Projects
    • School Hours
    • Transfer Schools within the HDSB
    • Virtual Schools
    • COVID-19
    • Find My Local School
    • Our Schools
    • Register My Child for School
    • School Boundary Reviews
    • School Enrolments
    • Secondary School
    • Transportation
    • Who to Contact
    Image School Listing
    School Listing
  • Learning and Resources
    • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
    • Curriculum
    • EQAO Results
    • Health and Physical Education
    • Kindergarten
    • Mathematics
    • Special Education Programs and Placements
    • Arts Programs
    • Elementary Education Programs
    • First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students
    • Innovation in Education at the HDSB
    • Library Services
    • Prior Learning Assessment
    • Summer School
    • Before and After School Care
    • English Language Learners-ELL
    • French
    • International and Indigenous Languages Elementary
    • Literacy and Language
    • Secondary Education and Pathways
    • Virtual Learning
  • Our Board
    • Administration and Superintendents
    • Budget and Financial Information
    • Contact Us
    • Director's Cut - Videos
    • Halton Learning Foundation
    • HDSB Human Rights Symposium
    • HDSBcares
    • Livestream
    • News
    • Publications
    • Board of Trustees
    • Careers at the HDSB
    • Departments
    • Get Involved
    • Have Your Say HDSB Survey
    • HDSB Student Census
    • How to Resolve Issues and Concerns
    • Multi-Year Plan 2020-2024
    • Policies and Administrative Procedures
    Image Careers at the HDSB
    Careers at the HDSB

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

subnav icon More
Home/Learning and Resources/Secondary Education and Pathways/Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)/
Decrease Text Size Default Text Size Increase Text Size
Print Link
Share Link

More in this Section...

  • Secondary Education and Pathways
    • Advanced Placement
    • Cooperative Education
    • Dual Credits
    • eLearning
    • Guide to Secondary School
    • Halton Skills Award Ceremony
    • International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
    • I-STEM Program
    • My Blueprint
    • Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
    • Pathways Program
    • Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
    • Transition to Post-Secondary
    • Transitioning to High School/Grade 9
    • Virtual Learning
      • Brightspace
      • eLearning
  • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
  • Arts Programs
  • Before and After School Care
  • Curriculum
  • Elementary Education Programs
  • English Language Learners-ELL
  • EQAO Results
  • First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students
  • French
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Innovation in Education at the HDSB
  • International and Indigenous Languages Elementary
  • Kindergarten
  • Library Services
  • Literacy and Language
  • Mathematics
  • Prior Learning Assessment
  • Special Education Programs and Placements
  • Summer School
  • Supporting Student Learning Outside of the Classroom
  • Virtual Learning

Quick Links

  • Adult and Continuing Education
  • Curriculum
  • Secondary Education and Pathways
  • Special Education Programs and Placements
  • Summer School

Page Image

Page Content

​​​​​​​​What are the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs?

SHSM programs allow students to specialize their education around their chosen field of interest. Each SHSM program includes a bundle of 8-10 Grade 11 and 12 courses related to that area of interest.

Grade 11 and 12 students choose a major sector area such as:
  • Agriculture
  • Arts and Culture  
  • Business  
  • Construction
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Health and Wellness
  • Horticulture and Landscaping
  • Hospitality and Tourism  
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services
  • Manufacturing  
  • Social Justice
  • Sports
  • Transportation
 
 5 SHSM Program Components

Together, these requirements provide the curriculum based and experiential learning experiences for making a successful transition to a student’s chosen pathway.​

  • Bundle of Gr. 11 & 12 Courses
  • Certifications
  •  Reach Ahead Opportunities
  • Cooperative Education
  • Sector Specific Partnered Experiences in Math, Coding or ICE (Innovation, Creativity & Entrepreneurship)

Key Benefits for Students

Pursuing a SHSM enables students to:

  • Customize their secondary school education to suit their interests and talents
  • Develop specialized knowledge and skills that are valued by the sector and postsecondary education institutions
  • Earn credits that are recognized by the sector and postsecondary education institutions
  • Acquire sector specific and career relevant certification and training
  • Gain confidence in their knowledge of the SHSM Sector
  • Identify, explore and refine their career goals and make informed decisions about their post secondary destination
  • Remain flexible, with the option to shift between pathways​

On completion of program students receive a red seal diploma and transcript record. In some cases students qualify for bursaries and scholarships towards post-secondary education.

Read more about the S​​peciality High Skills Major Programs

  • Halton Pathways ​

Contact

SHSM Board Leads:  Veronica Kleinsmith kleinsmithv@hdsb.ca or Anja Vernon ​vernona@hdsb.ca​​​

Board Office

Halton District School Board
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Burlington, Ontario, L7P 5A8

Numbers

Phone: 905-335-3663
Fax: 905-335-9802

Links
Email Us
A to Z ServicesAccessibilityContact UsTransportationFeedbackStaff
​​​​​​© 2021 Halton District School Board, 2050 Guelph Line, Burlington, ON, Canada L7P 5A8, Phone Switchboard: 905-335-3663

Auto Attendant: 905-335-3665, ​Toll Free: 1-877-618-3456, Fax: 905-335-9802