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Career Programs
Publication date: September 5, 2023
On this page
- Career education
- Kindergarten through Grade 9
- Grades 10 through 12 programming
- Grades 10 through 12 elective courses
- Career education resources
Career education
From Kindergarten through graduation, students grow by discovering what they like. Through this, they learn what they’re good at and gain knowledge about future options. This helps them build confidence and explore future job opportunities. The provincial Career Education K–12 Curriculum explains why career education is important.
Kindergarten through Grade 9
From Kindergarten through Grade 5, students discover what they enjoy and what they are good at through a variety of learning opportunities. They also learn how they can contribute to their community. In grades 6 through 9, students start learning through hands-on activities. These activities help them understand how different jobs and roles work in real life. This, in turn, helps them build a support system with their family, mentors, and people they meet.
- Learn more at Career Education K–12 Curriculum
- See how the Career Education curriculum (K–9) (PDF, 236KB) can help build a foundation for future career planning and skill development
Grades 10 through 12 programming
In grades 10 through 12, students start to think about career interests and future possibilities. This guide shows how students can explore their interests and gain skills. It also explains how students can plan for their future by taking required and elective courses for graduation.
- Read more in the Career Education 10–12 Program Guide (PDF, 13.9MB)
Grade 10–12 courses required for graduation
As part of the requirements to graduate, students need to complete two courses: Career-Life Education and Career-Life Connections. These courses help students learn about the importance of:
- Exploring and thinking about their future careers
- Making choices about their career options
- Building good relationships with others
- Balancing work and life
- Learning throughout their lives
The Career-Life Connections course requires students to spend at least 30 hours exploring careers. This can involve paid work or volunteering outside of school.
Applied Design, Skills and Technologies (ADST)
Applied learning is an important part of all provincial curricula in grades 10 through 12. The provincial ADST Curriculum helps students use their curiosity and creativity. It teaches them how to design, create, and use different skills and technologies. ADST encourages students to come up with new ideas and solve problems in practical ways. This prepares them for challenges they might face in everyday life and future jobs.
Grades 10 through 12 elective courses
Grade 10–12 elective courses related to career education are built on kindergarten through Grade 9 learnings. Along with Career-Life Education and Career-Life Connections, elective courses give students the chance to try out real work or training in real-world settings.
Youth Explore Trades Skills
Youth Explore Trades Skills 10–12 is a course developed by SkilledTradesBC. Students learn about trade skills and earn graduation credits at the same time.
Youth Explore Trades Sampler
Youth Explore Trades Sampler is a 12-credit course where students can learn up to five trades and see what they like best. It is a good opportunity to try different trades while earning credits for graduation.
Work Experience 12A/12B
Through Work Experience, students gain real-world experience and build job skills. This helps them prepare for their future careers. For more details, read the Work Experience Program Guide (PDF, 3.4MB) (Guide du programme d’expérience de travail (PDF, 3.7 Mo)).
Youth Train in Trades
Students can begin learning trades and earn graduation credits through Youth Train in Trades, a trades training program jointly supported by SkilledTradesBC and the Ministry of Education and Child Care. Students participating in this dual credit program can also earn credits towards a Red Seal certification.
Youth Work in Trades
Through Youth Work in Trades (PDF, 2.2MB) (Jeunes au travail dans les métiers (PDF, 2.5 Mo)), students sign up with SkilledTradesBC as Youth Apprentices. This helps them practice the skills needed for their chosen trade.