Post-Secondary Pathways

• What do I like to do?
• What subjects do I enjoy?
• What are my God-given strengths, gifts, talents and abilities?
• What learning skills and work habits are my strengths?
• What areas can I work on?

• What are opportunities for Christian Community Service?
• What specialized programs can I participate in to help explore my pathway options?
• What can I learn about myself when I participate in recreational, social, leadership, experiential learning, and part-time job opportunities?
• What fields of work, occupations or jobs are related to my favourite subject areas, my interests, learning styles or my strengths?

• What is God calling me to?
• What kind of person do I want to become?
• What are my career, education and life goals?
• What are my personal and interpersonal goals?

•  What resources do I need to implement my goals?
• What programs or experiences can I participate in to help me plan my pathway?
• What courses do I need to build my pathway toward my preferred destination?
• Who can I ask to help guide me as I plan my pathway?

The Ontario Tuition Grant is available for full-time undergraduate university and college students whose parents gross income is less than $160 000.

• $1730 per year in a degree program at a public college or university in Ontario

• $790 per year for a diploma program at a public college in Ontario

Automatic consideration is given to students who have applied for OSAP.

A scholarship is an award based on a prescribed set of criteria. They are not always based on marks or for students going to university. Scholarships are available from a number of institutions:

• Graduation awards from Secondary School;
• Searchable Scholarship Database on Electronic INFO;
• University and College Scholarships: search individual school websites;
• Company and Organization Awards: ask your family;
• Websites:
  • Ontario School Counsellors' Association
  • Yconic
  • Scholarships Canada
  • CanLearn

A bursary is financial aid that does not need to be repaid. The primary criteria for a bursary is financial need. Students should contact the financial office of the school they are attending to initiate a bursary application.

Apprenticeship is a post-secondary pathway that combines on-the-job training, work experience and technical training that leads to certification in over 150 trades.

• Employers provide about 90% of the apprenticeship training in the workplace.

• All apprentices attend in-school sessions offered by approved training delivery agents (e.g. colleges, unions) for the remaining 10%, which involves classroom instruction on theory.

• Once both school and on-the-job components have been satisfied, apprentices will receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship.

• For trades with exams, apprentices must pass the exam before they can receive their Certificate of Qualification.

Check out Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program or College of Trades for more information about apprenticeship opportunities.

There are 27 colleges in Ontario, located throughout the province. Colleges offer a variety of diploma, certificate and applied degree programs. The basic admission requirement for postsecondary programs in the Ontario College system is one of the following:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or

• any lesser minimum admission requirement as established by a college on a program-specific basis.

Ontario colleges offer more than 2,400 program choices in almost 600 subject areas. Programs are career-oriented and geared toward marketable skills. Find out about programs, arrange a campus tour or talk to college staff who can answer your specific questions.

Visit Ontario Colleges for more information and college specific requirements.

Transition planning is about looking ahead to the future and preparing for adulthood. It is a partnership involving student, parent, teachers, friends, community and adult service providers, and any other individual with a vested interest in your child. Consideration must be given to such things as:

• Living arrangements

• Community programs

• Employment opportunities

• Further education opportunities

• Health care

• Recreation and social activities

Visit Developmental Services Ontario for information. 

To attend university, students must attain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and 6 of their grade 12 courses must be at the University or University/College Level. There are 21 universities in Ontario, offering professional programs in a variety of fields. Universities offer three and four year undergraduate degrees. Professional programs such as dentistry, medicine, engineering and education are offered at several Ontario universities.

For specific information about programs, visit eInfo.  

The goal of all students is to find employment that is fulfilling and of service to society. There are many ways to get to the world of work and one of the ways is through an entry-level job. Students will find information regarding the availability of entry-level jobs in their guidance department at high school. A number of organizations exist in Durham Region that help assist students to find employment after high school. An important organization is Employment Ontario.

Visit Employment Canada for specific information about programs.