The History of the School / College / Work Initiative (SCWI)

When the provincial government introduced the Secondary School Reform plan in 1997, several major goals were identified. One such goal was to provide students with clear pathways from secondary schools to college programs which in turn would relate to employment opportunities. It was and is generally accepted that post-secondary education should provide graduates with skills that lead to employment. Beginning in 1998, innovative school/college/work initiatives, which would serve as models, were encouraged and funded by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.  

Currently, it is understood and expected, that all School to College to Work Initiatives must support the Learning to 18 Mandate of the Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education - Learning to 18 Mandate

  1. To improve the graduation rate to 85% by 2010
  2. To address the achievement gap
  3. To increase confidence in public education

Today, SCWI, exists as an oversight committee governed by CODE and COP working throughout the province with all district school boards and all colleges through 16 Regional Planning Teams of which PASS is the Regional Planning Team for the Eastern Ontario region.



The purposes of the SCWI are:

  • 1. To have a greater proportion of students select college as a “first choice” for post-secondary study
  • 2. To link more secondary school courses to college programs in ways that enable students to make successful transitions to college and that prepare students for successful employment following college


The Focus of SCWI

The SCWI has focused on three broad activity areas essential to providing secondary school students with clear pathways to college and employment:

  • increased student, parent and teacher awareness of the wide range of education, career and employment opportunities (in new and expanding sectors) offered through college programs
  • the development and implementation of aligned curricula between secondary schools and colleges
  • increased clarity in secondary school pathways to college admission

To achieve the purposes and outcomes described above, pilot projects involving schools, colleges and workplace sectors were to identify and address traditional barriers and to provide models which are replicable across the province, for school / college / work projects. To ensure alignment of the pilot projects with MET policies and directions, MET staff participated in the development of project criteria and in the selection of projects for funding.

Criteria for Project Proposals

At the outset, the Co-Management Team (CMT) established criteria for the School / College / Work proposals::

  • 1. Definition of clear pathways to college and the workplace.
  • 2. Awareness of educational and career opportunities offered by colleges.
  • 3. Collaborative development of articulated school-college curriculum.
  • 4. Generalizable and replicable structures, processes, guidelines, products.
  • 5. Alternative and improved transitions from school to college.
  • 6. Education and training programs for college and secondary school teachers.

Since 1998 twelve invitations for projects have gone out, been selected and funded. The majority of the projects from the first three phases were local in nature centering on one board or college. Phases 4 and 5 have focused more on systemic change in line with needs identified in Secondary School Reform.  Phases 6, 7, 8, and 9 have focused on pathways planning while Phases 10, 11 and 12 have focused on the dual credit pilot projects supported by forums and activities. 

Recently, SCWI developed additional guidelines to specifically address the crafting of proposals for forums, activities and dual credits. -view the areas of emphasis

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