Makingmyway.ca offers career news, pathways to success

The Peel District School Board has launched a new on-line career education centre; makingmyway.ca

Makingmyway.ca currently features an on-line contest for one Peel student to win an 80 GB new generation Ipod, a leather Ipod case and a $50 i-tunes gift certificate. For a chance to win, students must register to subscribe to the on-line guidance office feature, which includes individualized career planning, alerts for important deadlines and submissions, and personalized postsecondary and career information. The first 100 subscriptions also win the leather Ipod case. The contest will run until March 15.

The Web site features YouTube-style videos of Peel grads whose personal stories illustrate the different paths open to teens after they finish secondary school, including apprenticeship, college, independent living, university and work.

Apprenticeship trades training provides access to well-paying jobs that demand a high level of skills, judgment, and creativity. A wide range of exciting careers are available through apprenticeship training.

Colleges offer a wide variety of full and part-time course programs at more than 100 locations across the province. College graduates gain hands-on skills, combined with theory practise and earn a diploma or certificate.

Ontario universities grant undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. University graduates can obtain a bachelors, master's or doctorate degree in applied arts, business, design, education, fine arts, health, law or science.

Work outlines job opportunities and field placements for high schools graduates looking to gain occupational and employment experience.

Independent living means developing the skills and ability to live independently in the community.

The Peel District School Board introduced a virtual guidance office to encourage Peel students, Grade 7 through high school, to start making plans for the future.

The Web site, makingmyway.ca, identifies all options available to high school graduates; apprenticeship, college, university and workplace. It also emphasizes that all career paths have important and equal value in the employment market and economy; highlighting all sectors, from trades, health and social sciences to business, technology and arts.

"Making My Way demonstrates Peel's commitment to the Ontario government's Learning to 18 initiative, a program that aims to achieve an 85 per cent graduation rate among Ontario secondary school students by 2011," commented Ian Adamson, superintendent of curriculum instruction and special education support servicesalternative programs. "To create this on-line resource, we consulted guidance counsellors and identified which materials and resources should be readily available to students and their parents, so they can make educated and focused decisions about their future with confidence."

Other features of the Web site include: • Flash movies for Grade 7 and 8 students about how they can begin the process of career and life planning. • Information about jobs of the future and trends in the labour market. • Tips for parents about how to help their teen improve academic skills. • Examples of dozens of careers, linked to descriptions of the postsecondary training required for the careers. • Links to on-line resources to help teen identify potential careers, based on personality and interests.

The board surveyed students and educators in middle and secondary schools about their understanding of postsecondary destinations. Students indicated their preferred way of receiving information about career and life planning is through the Web.

The new Web site is part of the Making my way program, the Peel board's commitment to increasing the graduation rate and to providing students and their parents with information to plan their path after finishing high school.