SHORT-TERM ACTIVITY

DURATION

EMPLOYER INVOLVEMENT

Lead time for short and medium term activities is about a month; activities run throughout the school year

Career talks/classroom visits

One hour to one day

• Visit classroom, talk about career.

Career fairs/career days

One hour to one day

• Visit school, talk about career.

Workplace tours

One hour to one day

• Provide workplace tour to students.

MEDIUM-TERM ACTIVITY

DURATION

EMPLOYER INVOLVEMENT

Lead time for short and medium term activities is about a month; activities run throughout the school year

Job shadowing *

One to two days

• Pair student, who does not yet have the skills for hands-on experience, with employee or co-op student to observe the workplace, e.g., Take Our Kids to Work Day

Work experience *

One to four weeks

• Provide student with short-term work placement for hands-on experience as part of high school credit course.
• Help prepare a learning plan and evaluate student’s progress.

Mentoring

Time varies

• Advise student and act as role model.

Project-based learning

Time varies

• Serve as mentor and collaborate with student on projects aimed at providing solutions to real workplace problems.

LONG-TERM ACTIVITY

DURATION

EMPLOYER INVOLVEMENT

Lead time for long term activities is a few months before the September and February student placements

Cooperative education *

110 to 440 hours over several months or on alternate days throughout the school year

• Provide student with an unpaid placement, which enables the student to earn secondary school credits, while applying classroom learning and exploring career interests.
• Work with a teacher to develop a personalized learning plan and evaluate student’s progress.

School-work transitions

110 to 440 hours per year, multi-year

• Provide student, who is planning to enter the workforce directly from high school, with workplace experience, to help his/her transition from school into a particular industry or occupation.
• Offer a progression of experiences from job shadowing through to co-op.

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

110 to 440 hours per year, multi-year

• Provide a cooperative education placement in an apprenticeable trade to enable a student to complete a high school diploma while working towards an apprenticeship.
• Work with a teacher to develop a personalized learning plan and evaluate student’s progress.
• Work with training consultant to document trade-specific competencies demonstrated by the student at the placement.