Waterford District High School
School Profile 2024-25
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
What is a Specialist High Skills Major?
A Specialized High Skills Major (SHSM) allows students to customize their secondary school experience to fit career interests.
Offered in Grade 11 and 12, an SHSM allows students to receive a specialized secondary school diploma that is recognized in various economic sectors in all four pathways.
What does a SHSM look like?
A SHSM is a bundle of 8 to 10 Grade 11 and Grade 12 credits that include two experiential learning (co-op) credits.
What do you get by taking an SHSM?
Specialist High Skills Major courses offered:
The Construction Program – Homebuilding Focus
The Construction Specialist High Skills Major allows students to develop valuable skills and knowledge, gain additional insight into post-secondary destinations, and obtain certifications to ensure they are ready for a career in the construction industry.
“Everybody’s worried about getting a job, but this program takes a lot of that fear away.”
Dylan Eastman (Grade 12 Student)
Benefits of the Construction Program
The Health and Wellness Program
The Health and Wellness program allows students to focus their learning on an array of health fields through a combination of classroom and hands-on learning. Students can use professional technology in their respective discipline, enabling them to be prepared citizens for the Health and Wellness sector.
“This SHSM opened my eyes up to interesting careers I never knew existed and made me consider different options for my future.”
Claire Leman (Grade 12 Student)
Benefits of the Health and Wellness Program: