Academic and career guidance for elementary and secondary students

To meet the needs of students receiving academic and career guidance, each school provides them with different opportunities to discover who they are and to develop knowledge about the academic world and the world of work to help them make informed decisions. This support fosters their educational success by increasing their motivation and their perseverance at school. The effect of this support is even greater when it continues at home with a parent.

Academic and Career Guidance Content (ACGC) (PDF 428 Kb) is designed to guide and equip students from Elementary 5 through Secondary V in their reflection on career and academic planning as they prepare for their future, thereby fostering their academic motivation and perseverance.

Over the course of a school year, students have opportunities to experience ACGC as part of subject-specific learning and other in-class activities. The ACGC continuum consists of 19 ACGC items. These items are compulsory for all students, but they do not constitute a subject and are not evaluated.

ACGC is integrated into the schools’ educational services, planned out in collaboration with teachers, and is then submitted to the governing board for approval.

ACGC items are organized into three areas of knowledge linked by learning strategies.

Area 1: Self-knowledge

Students learn about themselves and identify their personal characteristics:

• Interests, aptitudes, values, aspirations and strengths
• Attitudes, behaviours or perceptions that contribute to a sense of personal competency

Area 2: Knowledge of the world of school

Students learn to better prepare themselves for the challenges that await them on their educational path:

• School transitions (from elementary to secondary school, from Secondary Cycle One to Secondary Cycle Two, from secondary school to post-secondary studies)
• The Québec school system and their academic choices

Area 3: Knowledge of the world of work

Students learn how to better prepare themselves for the challenges and requirements of the job market:

• Making connections between the world of school, themselves and the world of work
• Exploring trades, occupations and professions

Ministerial programs in the area of professional development are offered in Secondary Cycle Two. They are designed to help students explore the possibilities available to them. They also make it possible to anticipate what their life as workers and citizens could be, whether they are enrolled in the General Education Path or the Applied General Education Path. The professional development programs also enable students to construct a representation of the world of work and adjust it gradually through observation, reflection and experience.

The programs also allow students in the Work-Oriented Training Path to prepare concretely for employment. The practical training, which takes the form of a practicum, allows them to develop the competencies needed to carry out tasks in the workplace, for example, in a semiskilled trade. 

The area of professional development consists of three programs of study.

Personal Orientation Project (POP)

In general education, the Personal Orientation Project (POP) is optional in Secondary III and IV. In applied general education, it is compulsory in Secondary III, but may also be offered as an option in Secondary IV. This program gives students a unique opportunity to discover a variety of occupations that may correspond to their aptitudes, interests and aspirations. It allows students to explore various fields that interest them and to test their choices by experimenting with different work roles.

Exploration of Vocational Training

The Exploration of Vocational Training program may be offered in Secondary III, IV and/or V. It provides students with a special opportunity to become familiar with all the sectors of vocational training and gain first-hand experience of the world of work. It allows them to discover trades and occupations that could possibly interest them and to learn more about some of them.

Entrepreneurship

The Entrepreneurship program may be offered in Secondary III, IV and/or V. The students participate in entrepreneurial experiences that lead them to consider how they would like to become involved in the world of entrepreneurship, whether as self-employed workers, entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs.

All schools provide their students with professional academic and career guidance services according to their needs. These services can take different forms depending on the context, such as individual, small group or in-class services. They meet the distinctive or special needs of some or most students. The student can, on their own, ask to receive the services of a guidance professional and can also be referred by a school staff member. Follow-up with a guidance professional may be prescribed in a student’s individualized education plan.

The parents play a key role supporting their child’s academic and career guidance, complementing that of the school. A few ways parents can support and get involved in their child's thought process include:  

• Discussing with their child what they have learned at school in terms of ACGC
• Talking about their interests, aptitudes, values and aspirations
• Asking their child what they understand about the different educational paths, and what they know about trades, occupations and professions
• Discussing what concerns they have regarding their post-secondary studies after secondary school or entering the job market
• Asking their child questions about their thoughts and concerns in relation to their academic and career choices
• Helping them identify their own strengths, and encourage and value them
• Pointing out their skills and strengths as much as possible throughout the day
• Entrusting them with family tasks and responsibilities to help them develop competencies such as organization, autonomy, resourcefulness and attention to detail
• Listening and talking to them about school and their plans for the future
• Encouraging a positive attitude toward school or work

Every young person progresses at their own pace, depending on what they know about themselves (e.g. aptitudes, interests, values), the world of education and the job market. Some students know themselves well and already have an idea of what they want to do in the future, while for others, the process is slower and requires more thought. It is therefore beneficial to encourage parents to talk to their children about the ACGC they covered at school.