The SHSM–Agriculture enables students to build a foundation of sector-focused knowledge and skills before graduating and entering apprenticeship training, college, university, or an entry-level position in the workplace. Where local circumstances allow, boards may elect to offer one or more variants of the SHSM in a given sector, each with a particular area of focus. This SHSM may be designed to have a particular focus – for example, on agricultural equipment or animal and crop science. This focus is achieved through the selection of the four major credits in the bundle.
For local labour market opportunities in the sector, see your local SHSM contact at the board office.
The requirements of this SHSM are unique and are geared to the agriculture sector. However, the design of all SHSM programs follows a consistent model, described in Section A: Policy.
The SHSM–Agriculture has the following five required components:
These credits make up the bundle:
1. Note that a compulsory English credit is required in Grade 11 and in Grade 12 for graduation with an OSSD. Schools may determine whether the CLA, if offered, is completed in the Grade 11 or Grade 12 English course.
See Section A1.2 for more on SHSM credits and CLAs.
Credits |
Apprenticeship Training Grades 11–12 |
College Grades 11–12 |
University Grades 11–12 |
Workplace Grades 11–12 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Major Credits One credit may be substituted with a cooperative education credit (additional to the 2 required co-op credits) |
4 Including at least one Gr. 11 and one Gr. 12 credit |
4 Including at least one Gr. 11 and one Gr. 12 credit |
4 Including at least one Gr. 11 and one Gr. 12 credit |
4 Including at least one Gr. 11 and one Gr. 12 credit |
English may include a CLA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Mathematics may include a CLA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Business Studies or Science
may include a CLA May be substituted with 1 cooperative education credit (additional to the 2 required co-op credits) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Cooperative Education | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Total number of credits | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Note: Multiple credits in the Ontario technological education curriculum allow additional instructional time for the practice and refinement of skills needed to develop student performance to the levels required for certification, entry into apprenticeship programs, or participation in school–work transition programs (see The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Technological Education, 2009, page 17).
This SHSM sector requires students to complete a specified number of compulsory and elective sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses/programs, as indicated in the following table. NOTE: Where an item in the table is capitalized, it is the proper name of the specific certification or training course/program that is appropriate for the SHSM. Where an item is lowercased, it is the name of an area, type, or category of training for which specific certifications or training courses/programs should be selected by the school or board. The requirements are summarized in the table below.
See Section A1.3 for more on SHSM certifications and training.
Three (3) compulsory | ||
---|---|---|
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Level C – includes automated external defibrillation (AED) | Standard First Aid | Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) – generic (i.e., not site-specific) instruction |
Three (3) electives from the list below | |||
---|---|---|---|
advanced training in a technique (e.g., specific equipment maintenance, tilling, irrigation) | advanced training in a technology (309) land and forest survey skills | animal first aid | anti-oppression and allyship training |
approaches to healing | basic electrical safety | chainsaw safety | compass/map/global positioning system (GPS) |
customer service | equipment operation safety | fall protection | fire safety and fire extinguisher use (294) |
first aid/CPR/AED awareness | fundamentals of the combine – level 1 | grain grading | hazardous atmospheres and confined spaces |
health and safety – basic | herbicide and pesticide | hydraulics – basic | infection control |
introduction to pest management | ladder safety training | land and forest survey skills | large animal handling |
leadership skills | livestock medicine | livestock production | lockout/tagging |
nutrient management | portfolio development | principles of drainage | project management |
safe lifting | sector-specific software 1 | sector-specific sustainability practices | sector-specific vehicle operation and safety |
seed saving | small engine maintenance | soil classification and testing | sustainable resource management planning | theory of combine settings and adjustments – level 2 | transgenic plant identification | vehicle lift safety | weed and pest identification and management |
Working at Heights |
Experiential learning and career exploration opportunities relevant to the sector might include the following:
See Section A1.4 for more on experiential learning and career exploration activities.
Note that volunteer activities in an SHSM cannot be counted towards the hours of community involvement required to earn the OSSD.
Students are provided one or more reach ahead experiences – opportunities to take the next steps along their chosen pathway – as shown in the following examples:
See Section A1.5 for more on reach ahead experiences.
Students engage with a sector partner and apply skills to gain insight into the relationship between this sector and ICE (innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship), coding, and/or mathematical literacy.
See Section A1.6 for more on sector-partnered experiences (SPEs).
See the table illustrating the four pathways and required credits leading to completion of this SHSM.
Visit the ministry's SHSM website for related resources.
See Section B3.4 for information on building awareness of SHSM programs among students in Grades 7 and 8.
See Section B3.4 for information on providing Grade 9 and 10 students with opportunities for exploration of SHSM programs. In addition, students considering this SHSM can be encouraged to enrol in the following courses to become better informed about careers and postsecondary options in the sector:
Students acquire the sector-specific knowledge and technical skills required to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with an SHSM–Agriculture by completing its five required components. Students and their parents/guardians are encouraged to consult with guidance counsellors and teachers to select the courses that will enable students to pursue their goals.
Students pursuing an apprenticeship pathway should consider the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), which enables them to start an apprenticeship while earning their OSSD.
Students pursuing a university pathway are advised to complete their required cooperative education credits in Grade 11, in order to allow room in their timetables in Grade 12 for credits needed to meet university entrance requirements.
When helping students plan their SHSMs, particularly with respect to the selection of courses to fulfil the requirement for credits in the major, teachers should bear in mind that technological education courses can be offered as single-credit or multiple-credit courses.
This template shows program requirements for the SHSM–Agriculture in Grades 11 and 12, along with some of the additional credits needed for an OSSD. It is provided to help guide students in choosing the credits they need to meet the SHSM requirements in the pathway of their choice. Students should always review their pathways plan with their parents/guardians and their teachers to ensure that they have all the credits they need to graduate with an SHSM–Agriculture.
Apprenticeship Training Pathway Specialization Grades 11–12 |
College Pathway Specialization Grades 11–12 |
University Pathway Specialization Grades 11–12 |
Workplace Pathway Specialization Grades 11–12 |
---|---|---|---|
1 English credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 English credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 English credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 English credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 math credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 math credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 math credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 math credit (C)* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) |
1 business studies* or science credit* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted. |
1 business studies* or science credit* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted. |
1 business studies* or science credit* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted. |
1 business studies* or science credit* (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted. |
4 agriculture major credits (including a Gr. 11 and a Gr. 12 credit) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted for one of these four credits. |
4 agriculture major credits (including a Gr. 11 and a Gr. 12 credit) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted for one of these four credits. |
4 agriculture major credits (including a Gr. 11 and a Gr. 12 credit) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted for one of these four credits. |
4 agriculture major credits (including a Gr. 11 and a Gr. 12 credit) A cooperative education credit related to the sector may be substituted for one of these four credits. |
2 cooperative education credits related to the sector (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12)** May be used as (C) credits |
2 cooperative education credits related to the sector (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12)** May be used as (C) credits |
2 cooperative education credits related to the sector (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12)** May be used as (C) credits |
2 cooperative education credits related to the sector (in either Gr. 11 or Gr. 12)** May be used as (C) credits |
2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 11) | 2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 11) | 2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 11) | 2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 11) |
2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 12) | 2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 12) | 2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 12) | 2 optional or compulsory credits (Gr. 12) |
* A contextualized learning activity (CLA) must be included in the course in schools that have committed to offering CLAs (see “Other Required Credits” in section A1.2). (Note that students must take Grade 11 and Grade 12 English to graduate with an OSSD, but the CLA may be offered in either grade.)
** May be taken the summer before Grade 11
Note: To guide students and teachers in the development of their SHSM program, schools can access the latest approved SHSM course list for each sector through their SHSM board lead.
The following table provides examples of occupations in the agriculture sector, with corresponding National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, sorted according to the type of postsecondary education or training the occupations would normally require.
See Part 2 of the Introduction for more on occupations and NOC codes.
Apprenticeship Training | College |
---|---|
|
|
University | Workplace |
---|---|
|
|
Note: This information is based on the 2016 NOC. An update to the NOC in 2016 resulted in changes to the codes and titles for some occupations, and in some cases to the occupations included in the group. For more detail, refer to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) web page, Ontario's Labour Market (https://www.ontario.ca/page/labour-market). (Note also that some of the names of occupations listed here reflect common usage in the sector and may differ slightly from those used in the NOC system.)
The following are examples of programs and training related to careers in the agriculture sector and the accreditations associated with each.
Apprenticeship Training | |
---|---|
Agricultural Dairy Herdsperson | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Agricultural Equipment Technician | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Agricultural Fruit Grower | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Agricultural Swine Herdsperson | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Arborist | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Blacksmith | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Heavy Equipment Operator | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Horse Groom | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Horse Harness Maker | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Hydraulics/Pneumatics Mechanic | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Motive Power Techniques | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
Saddlery | Certificate of apprenticeship/certificate of qualification |
College | |
---|---|
Agriculture | Diploma |
Agriculture – Equine | Diploma |
Animal Care | Diploma |
Greenhouse Technician | Diploma |
Veterinary Assistant | Diploma |
Veterinary Technology | Diploma |
Winery and Viticulture | Diploma |
University | |
---|---|
Agricultural Business/Economics | Bachelor's degree |
Agricultural Science/Organic Agriculture | Bachelor's degree |
Agronomy | Bachelor's degree |
Animal Science/Zoology | Bachelor's degree |
Bio-Resource Management | Bachelor's degree |
Environmental Economics and Policy | Bachelor's degree |
Plant Biology | Bachelor's degree |
Veterinary Medicine | Bachelor's degree |
Training for the Workplace | |
---|---|
Business Management | Certificate |
Coaching and Horsemanship | Certificate |
Equine Management | Certificate |
Welding Techniques | Certificate |