Specialist High Skills Major in Arts and Culture This year Welland Centennial has begun to offer a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) in the Arts. We already offer SHSM in Construction and Hospitality, and this year we add the arts. What does it mean to be enrolled in a Specialist High Skills Major and what are the benefits to our students? The SHSM is a ministry-approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific sector while meeting the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and assists in their transition from high school to further training, college, university, or the workplace. An SHSM in Arts enables students to gain arts-related skills and knowledge in the context of engaging, career-related learning environments and helps them to focus on graduation and on pursuing their postsecondary goals. This program helps students start planning for careers in the Arts in a variety of areas. According to Statistics Canada, Arts and Culture are essential elements in the new global economy – not only for their entertainment value but also for the skills they develop in individuals. An arts education, for example, challenges people to think critically and to solve problems creatively – skills that are now in high demand. During the 1990s, the cultural sector labour force grew by 31 per cent, compared to 20 per cent for Canada‘s labour force as a whole. College and/or University Announcer and Other Broadcasters
Technical Occupations Related to Museums and Art Galleries
Apparel Production Supervisor
Writer
Artisan or Craftsperson Apprenticeship Training
Broadcast Technician
Entertainment Industry Power Technician
Conductor, Composer or Arranger
Crafts Artisan
Film or Video Camera Operator
Painter and Decorator
Graphic Arts Technician
Patternmaker – Textile, Leather, and Fur Products
Graphic Designer, Animator, Illustrator Interior Designer
Workplace
Industrial Design Performer: Actor, Comedian, Singer, Dancer
Camera, Platemaking, or other Pre-Press Operations
Painter, Sculptor, and other Visual Artists
Desktop Publishing Operator
Photographer
Photographic and Film Processor
Producer, Director, Choreographer, and Related Occupations
Sign Maker
Professional Occupations in Public Relations and
Weaver, Knitter and other fabric-making occupations
Textile Colourist
Communications The Benefits of a Specialist High Skills Major include:
Students refine their skills and improve their work habits, gain confidence in their ability to succeed, and see the connections between their studies, the world beyond high school and their future careers; Students experience a range of customized, career-focused learning opportunities; The focused learning experiences give students the opportunity to explore, identify, and refine career goals and make informed decisions related to postsecondary education; Upon completion of an SHSM and graduation from secondary school, students will receive a red seal on their diploma, embossed with the words ―Specialist High Skills Major.‖ In addition, students will receive an ―SHSM Record,‖ which outlines their achievements and certifications; This program is available to students in Grade 11 and 12 and those students who are currently in Grade 10 should start planning for Grade 11 now, and consider whether this program is for you. Welland Centennial Secondary School
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November 2010