Youth Pathways

For any questions related to Youth Pathways, please contact Kevin Walker, Coordinator of Youth Pathways, 902-625-7083.


Students in the SRCE receive support along their educational journey as they progress through the grades to graduation and on to a post-secondary destination (apprenticeship, college, community living, university, or workplace). Youth Pathways encompasses a variety of experiential and community based learning opportunities, as well as programs, courses and resources, which are available to help inform and guide this exploration.

The online resource myBlueprint is available for students and their families to support education and career/life planning. This program allows students from elementary to high school to explore four inquiry-based questions: Who am I? What are my opportunities? Who do I want to become? What is my plan for achieving my goals? myBlueprint allows students to plan high school courses, research postsecondary opportunities and occupations, build a resume or cover letter, as well as discover interests and learning styles and much more.

Students in junior high may have the opportunity to participate in various technology-based programs such as those delivered in a traditional production lab, in a makerspace lab using electronic technologies, as well as programs in other specialized areas such as a cooking lab. Some of these courses may also incorporate community project initiatives and these types of experiences will help inform students on interests for possible course selection at the high school level.

Co-operative Education courses are available for high school students to explore a wide range of careers through participation in structured work placements through a community based learning framework. With a focus on safety, students receive all of the necessary training, certification and personal protective equipment required to participate in these placements.

Options and Opportunities (O2) is a three year program designed to help students navigate towards a career pathway in a context that responds to their learning needs.  Beginning in Gr. 10, students in O2 must successfully complete five core courses (Career Development 10, Community Based Learning 11, as well as three Co-operative Education credits) in order to receive their O2 Certificate. They will complete these courses while also earning credits towards their provincial high school graduation diploma. The benefits for students who graduate with O2 distinction range from having multiple career exploration experiences to receiving an assured seat at NSCC in a program of their choice to possibly earning an O2 scholarship at a university.

With the addition of new Skilled Trades learning spaces in two of our buildings in the 2022-2023 school year, Skilled Trades programming is now available in all ten of our Academies. Courses offered include Skilled Trades 10, Construction Trades 11, Manufacturing Trades 11, Transportation Trades 11 and Skilled Trades Co-op 12. Students who complete any Skilled Trades or Co-operative Education courses under the supervision of a certified journeyperson can apply these hours towards an apprenticeship.

Other Skilled Trades learning is offered in the form of summer sector programs such as Building Futures For Youth (construction), Serve It Up (culinary), and Test Drive (automotive). These competitive programs provide students with opportunities to receive safety training at NSCC and a paid summer job working under a certified journeyperson while receiving three Co-operative Education credits.

At the school level, classroom teachers (including O2, Skilled Trades and Co-operative Education teachers), as well as school counsellors and external agency representatives can support students through various program promotion, application and interview preparation processes.

While these opportunities represent some of the more common Youth Pathways programs and resources our students typically access, there are certainly others. The following links provide additional information on Youth Pathways programming:

Youth Pathways Programs and Courses in the SRCE - A Quick Reference Guide

Nova Scotia Curriculum - Career Education

Community Based Learning 

Youth Apprenticeship

Co-operative Education Video

Co-operative Education 10-12

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