Lasalle to launch specialist high skills major programs April 22

Lasalle Secondary School students will take part in a full day of activities to celebrate the launch of the Specialist High Skills Major in Energy and the Specialist High Skills Major in Business April 22.

Some of the workshops will focus on environmental responsibility, energy conservation, power distribution and power generation in conjunction with Earth Day.

Lasalle Secondary School is one of five in Ontario currently offering a Specialist High Skills Major in Energy. The Specialist High Skills Major in Business was introduced at Lasalle three years ago. 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,” Tyler Campbell, chair of the school board, said.

“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.”

“We are delighted to add the energy sector to the Specialist High Skills Majors being offered in Rainbow District School Board,” Jean Hanson, the school board's director of education, said. “Many jobs are opening up in the energy sector, and, with new technologies for sustainable living, even more opportunities await our students.”

She added: “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.”

The full day of activities for Lasalle Secondary School students on April 22 will not only raise awareness about the Specialist High Skills Majors in Energy and Business, it 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 students about how to get involved in the Light Up Costa Rica project; to students learning about the various alternative technologies that can help reduce dependence on traditional forms of power generation and reduce our carbon footprint.

Other community partners include the Cambrian College Let’s Talk Science program delivering a workshop with a focus on their Energy Systems Technology program, Earth Care Sudbury, Go Green, the Regional Business Centre, Eco-League, Eat Local, Roots and Shoots, 3e Solutions, Canadian Ecology Centre, Nickel District Conservation Authority, Alternative Energy Systems, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and Skills Canada.

In addition to workshops being presented throughout the day, Lasalle students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 will enjoy field trips to discover how energy efficiency is being implemented within the community.

Destinations include Rainbow District School Board’s two green schools (Valley View Public School and Walden Public School); Northern Ontario's first Landfill Gas Generation plant, which produces enough electricity to power 1,200 homes; the Cardinal Hotel, where solar panels are used to generate heat; as well as Science North, Laurentian University, Cambrian College and Collège Boréal.