Toronto 
Starting in September 2024, students entering Grade 9 in Ontario will be required to complete a “technological education credit” course to receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced today.
Credit: Govt. Of Ontario
According to the news release, all students will now be required to earn a Grade 9 or 10 Technological Education credit as part of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
The government says this mandatory requirement will expose students to a wide range of topics such as construction, transportation, manufacturing, computer technology, hospitality, and communication.
While the exact course details have not yet been provided, the new requirement aims to guide Ontario’s students towards fulfilling and rewarding careers in the skilled trades.
Consultations with employers, unions, education stakeholders, trainers, parents, students, and others will be initiated by the government to explore academic entry requirements for the skilled trades.
“I am proud to announce another step forward to ensure all students learn the critical skills necessary to succeed and get a good paying job,” said Lecce in a news release.
“By requiring students to take at least one Technological Education credit in high school, we are opening up doors and creating new pathways to good jobs in STEM and the skilled trades. All students will benefit from a greater emphasis on hands-on learning experiences and technical skills in the classroom so they can graduate with a competitive advantage in this country.”
The aim is to attract more young people to pursue good-paying careers in the skilled trades as there are currently over 100,000 unfilled skilled trades jobs in Ontario. It is estimated that by 2026, one in five job openings in Ontario will be in skilled trades-related fields.
The government says this initiative aims to diversify the skilled trades workforce, which currently comprises over 70% male workers. While almost 39% of Ontario secondary school students enrolled in a technological education course in 2020-21, nearly 63% were male students. Ontario government says with this graduation requirement, more young women will have an opportunity to explore the trades.
This new graduation requirement is part of the government’s Skilled Trades Strategy, which aims to make it easier for people to learn a trade and break the stigma around trades-related occupations.
Recently, the government announced its plans for an accelerated apprenticeship pathway for grade 11 students to get into the skilled trades faster.
