In March, the Ontario government announced a plan to allow grade 11 students to leave school to join full-time apprenticeship programs. The plan, if implemented, would make Ontario the only province or territory in Canada that would allow students to leave high school to enter apprenticeships full-time, rather than pursuing apprenticeships while still working towards their high school diplomas.
This plan raises many concerns and points to some important questions.
- Ontario already offers several pathways to apprenticeship for thousands of young people. How will this proposal improve on the existing programs?
- How can we ensure that the option to leave high school at grade 11 to pursue a full-time apprenticeship will not lead to the same outcomes as streaming for students from historically marginalized groups?
- The skills and competencies learned in grades 11 and 12 are crucial for students' long-term success, no matter what pathway they pursue. When and how will students acquire these vital skills if they leave school after grade 10?
