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Grade 10 students at three Barrie high schools are getting new classes in career studies focussing on financial literacy. Ontario is partnering with educators on 29 pilot projects to revise the current career studies course and help students develop the skills they need to compete in the rapidly changing and highly competitive global economy. Education Minister Mitzie Hunter made the announcement Thursday morning at a Toronto school. Bear Creek Secondary School, Innisdale Secondary School and St. Joseph's Catholic High School were all chosen for the subject of financial literacy. Bear Creek principal Michael Abram said students will be better armed for life after high school. "These are real life skills that you will need. No matter where you end up you're going to have to be able to understand money and develop some kind of a budget and live within your means," said Abram. "I think too sometimes we take for granted that everybody knows what's available when they leave high school and everybody understands what it looks like." Abram said it's important to make students aware of the many options for young people outside of college and university. He says the pilot project will create a better, more uniform framework around the compulsory civics/careers credits students take in grade 10. Other schools in the pilot projects will learn about different subjects including entrepreneurship skills, digital literacy and preparing strategies for career/life destinations. The projects will run until June. Teachers will examine ways to:
Ensuring Ontario's curriculum focuses on multiple career paths and opportunities for work placements is a key recommendation of the Premier's Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel report. Teachers' feedback from these pilots will be instrumental in helping to determine what the career studies course could become. Last year the province announced that financial literacy would be a mandatory part of the career studies course. |
