SHSM students earned several certifications this semester

June 2, 2023

GUELPH, ON – The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program and the Career Education Council (CEC) have had a very busy semester as they’ve been coordinating many student events.

On March 29, 2023, 77 Upper Grand District School Board students visited the Italian Canadian Club in Guelph to hear from Schlegel Villages staff and participate in a Health and Wellness Day, which was hosted by the CEC.

This interactive and informative day allowed students to earn three certifications toward their SHSM. The certifications included, Infection Control, Customer Service in Client Care and Specialized Care: Being Present in Dementia Care.

During the Infection Control workshop, a black light showed students what the hardest spots to clean are. After putting on the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), students had the chance to practice for themselves. For the Customer Service portion of the day, students learned key tips for making first impressions. For the Dementia Care Workshop, students were led through some of the same training provided to Schlegel Village staff.

A highlight of the day was the mini career fair. Here, students mixed and mingled with local partners and health care practitioners to discover volunteer opportunities in the health and wellness field.

On Friday May 12, 2023, 30 students from Centre Dufferin District High School participated in the Business Sector SHSM certification day. During this day, the CEC facilitated three interactive workshops on stress management, customer service skills, and equity and inclusion.

Activities students participated in included meditation techniques, declining requests while providing alternative solutions, empathetic listening, using discovery questions and word association, specific techniques for being inclusive, and creating online documents.

Many students shared and reflected on their customer service experiences and what to take from them moving forward in any work setting.

On Tuesday May 30, 2023, 26 students from Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute and College Heights Secondary School participated in an arts and culture day at the Guelph Civic Museum. The goal of this day was for students to learn about jobs in the arts, working at a museum and to build transferable workplace skills, all while earning certifications for SHSM.

During the day, students toured the exhibits, had hands-on opportunities with artifacts, and participated in interactive activities to help them collaborate and self-reflect.

At the end of the day, students earned certifications in Storytelling, Event Coordination and Customer Service.

Students also learned about the opportunities for working and volunteering in museums and heard from staff from the Guelph Civic Museum, Guelph Arts Council, Art Gallery of Guelph and PortPrep. The day was organized by the Guelph Civic Museum and the CEC.