Guide to Career and Technology Studies (CTS)

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Shared Delivery

 

Schools may decide to expand their delivery of CTS by making expertise and/or resources present in one school available to other schools. Sharing may occur among schools within the same school system or through special agreements with schools in a neighbouring system. Shared delivery may involve the use of mobile labs, the sharing of teachers among schools, and/or the bussing of students to other schools offering complementary programs and facilities.

 

Off-campus Delivery

 

Through work-site learning and partnerships with local business/industry and post-secondary institutions, off-campus education provides access to instructional expertise and specialized facilities available within the community. Off-campus education may encompass community partnerships, job shadowing, job sharing, mentorships, work study, Workplace Readiness/Practicum, Work Experience, the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), the Green Certificate Program, and Career Internship.

 

For more information on off-campus education, visit the Alberta Education: Off-campus Education website.

 

Distance Education Technology

 

The use of information, communication, and multimedia technologies can be another effective means of expanding and/or enhancing the delivery of CTS courses. Distance education technology can be used to

  • help students learn difficult concepts
  • deliver instruction in new areas where there may be a lack of teacher expertise

While the potential for distance education technology to deliver a range of CTS courses is expanding rapidly, some courses focus on the development of workplace competencies and cannot be effectively delivered unless the student has access to hands-on learning, either in a lab or work-site setting. Such courses do not lend themselves to technological delivery unless supported by other forms of instruction and practice.

 

Expanded Time Frames

 

CTS courses for senior high school students during summer breaks, evenings, and weekends may be offered by boards, accredited private schools, and other accredited high schools; e.g., private and public colleges.

 

The program requirements noted in the Guide to Education: ECS to Grade 12 apply to all schools offering senior high school summer, evening, and weekend programs for credit, except that, for these programs, instructional time may vary. Schools must provide access to instruction of at least 16 hours per credit except for Work Experience 15, 25, and 35; Special Projects 10, 20, and 30; and the Registered Apprenticeship Program courses that require 25 hours per credit even when offered in summer, evening, or weekend programs.

 

Skills Centres

 

A skills centre is a complementary learning centre established and maintained by a single school authority with possible partnerships with post-secondary institutions and/or business and industry. A skills centre provides students with career-focused programs supporting successful transitions into the workplace.