CAREER CENTRE
Career Center is located in C104 beside the Library.
John Grant, Work Experience Teacher.
Stella Ying, Work Experience Facilitator.
604-903-3555 ext 803123
Career Education Courses and Descriptions
WORK EXPERIENCE/CAREER PLANNING
The Careers Office is a valuable resource for students interested in career planning, and work experience opportunities. Work Experience is an elective course, and is available for students in Grades 10, 11, and 12. The course requirement entails participation in 100 hours of work over the course of the year. Work may take place during school hours, during spring break, summer break or after school. The Work Experience Teacher and Work Experience Facilitator will work with students individually, and in small groups to assist students with choosing and obtaining relevant and meaningful placements. Work experience hours may be earned through paid employment, if the area of employment is directly related to the student's focus area. Paid employment hours must be discussed and approved prior to the commencement of the work. Students in grades 10 to 12 wishing to participate in Work Experience should indicate MWEX-2A, or MWEX-2B (if they have already taken 2A) in the electives space on their course request sheet.
The Work Experience team work collaboratively with students, parents, and businesses to maximize student opportunities in career exploration; providing volunteer opportunities; securing work experience placements; refining student’s employability skills and resume building, all while exploring possible careers post-secondary.
WORK EXPERIENCE 12A & 12B (4 credits each)
These courses are designed to provide students with focused learning objectives in preparing for a safe work placement.
Students develop the necessary skills to secure and maintain a j - 1ob in the area of their interest. Through work experience, students have the opportunity to observe and practice employability skills required in the workplace, as well as technical and applied skills relating to specific occupations or industries. A work placement may include hands-on work experience in a business, career mentoring with a professional, or volunteering with various organizations. The 100 hours may include more than one placement.
YOUTH WORK IN TRADES
The Youth Work in Trades program is a career-training program that provides students with the opportunity to begin their apprenticeship training while attending high school. There are over 150 apprenticeship trades in British Columbia. The Industry Training Authority (ITA) is the provincial organization that oversees apprenticeship training, and more information can be found on the ITA website www.itabc.ca.
In order to qualify, a student must be 15 years of age or older; working in a paid, part time position in a certifiable trade, while under the supervision of a qualified worker; and registered with the ITA as a Secondary School Apprentice (SSA).
The student will receive 4 credits towards graduation for every 120 hours completed on the job site, to a maximum of 16 credits or 480 hours. Four credits will be given for each of the Secondary School Apprenticeship, defined as 11A, 11B, 12A, & 12B. On-the-job hours completed in high school will be applied to the total hours needed to complete an apprenticeship. Apprenticeship hours can be completed in a number of ways including after school, weekends, holidays, or in cases where it can be accommodated in the school timetable, during school time.
If the student completes a minimum of 480 hours while in high school, and obtains a C+ average in their grade 12 year, and is still in an apprenticeship 6 months after graduation, they are eligible to apply to the Ministry of Education for the Secondary School Apprenticeship Scholarship valued at $1,000 to help cover the cost of technical training after graduation. Additional information on apprenticeships can be found on the Industry Training Authority website: www.itabc.ca
YOUTH TRAIN IN TRADES
Youth Train in Trades is an industry-training program for high school students. Through an Accelerated Credit Enrolment in Industry Training (ACE IT) program, students can take courses that will give them credit towards both high school graduation and completion of an apprenticeship or Industry Training Program, also referred to as dual credit. Youth Train in Trades programs are developed and offered as partnerships between school districts and post-secondary institutions, and classes are often taught by a college instructor or a trades certified
High school teacher using college or industry developed curriculum. Local employers also contribute to the development of Youth Train in Trades programs, and students whom complete these programs typically have very good success rates in finding employment.
Students who successfully complete a Youth Train in Trades program will receive credit for at least level one of the technical training (in-class) component of the Industry Training Program. Through work experience placements, that are usually part of the program, students receive credit towards the on the job component of their training as well. That means students can have a significant head start on their post-secondary education by the time they finish high school – as well as gaining practical and in-demand skills.
Enrolment in the Youth Train in Trades program is free; however, students may be required to cover the cost for tools or other items specific to working in a specific industry.
CO-OP PROGRAM - 11 AND 12
This Co-Op Program (for Grade 11 and 12 students) consists of the following:
- Two Work Experience blocks. Each block will include 90 hours of volunteer work (4 credits each)
- Career Life Education 12 class (4 credits)
- Students will attend work experience placements on one day (Day 1, for example) and attend school on the alternating day (Day 2, for example).
The Co-Op program focusses on giving students work experience and career skills. It will place students in areas of employment that interest them as possible career paths, while they are still completing high school graduation requirements. The Co-Op will generally target students whose immediate career goals are more work and trade oriented. Student often use Co-Op to discover and confirm their interests in different career options. Participation in the program may lead to work options, training in post secondary, or apprenticeship opportunities. Please contact John Grant at jgrant@sd44.ca for more information.
Career Life Education 10
This course focuses on gaining a clear understanding of career-life development knowledge, skills, and strategies for life!s journey into adulthood, and includes:
- exploring career-life possibilities for adult life, such as roles, opportunities, and community resources
- examining ways to publicly represent ourselves both face-to-face and in digital environments
- practising inclusive and respectful interactions for various community and work-related contexts
- connecting and engaging with supportive community members researching post-graduation options and planning resources, such as labour market trends, budgeting tools, and workplace safety guidelines.
Career Life Connections 12
This course focuses on applying personal career-life management knowledge, skills, and strategies to the one!s own personal life journey, and includes:
- deepening career-life concepts and thoughtful self-knowledge to inform personal life-long learning choices and post-graduation plans
- using self-advocacy and employment marketing strategies, such as creating one!s own effective public profiles
- employing developed social capital, such as leadership and collaboration skills, to cultivate community networks
- engaging in a substantive experiential learning opportunity of 30 hours or more that is intended to expand and/or deepen student exposure to career-life possibilities, such as service learning, volunteerism, employment, fieldwork projects, entrepreneurship, and passion projects designing, assembling, and presenting a capstone to an audience, celebrating the learning journey and next steps toward preferred
