Why This Question Matters

“Does this count for SHSM?” is one of the most common questions SHSM teachers ask—because experiential learning is both essential and easy to misunderstand.

In Ontario’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program, experiential learning is not just a “nice extra.” It is a required part of how students explore careers, build confidence, and connect their learning to real workplaces. Experiential learning is also one of the biggest reasons students say SHSM feels different from regular high school—because it gives them real exposure to industries, professionals, and environments that they may not otherwise access.

At the same time, SHSM includes other structured components like Sector-Partnered Experiences (SPEs) and reach-ahead experiences, which can look similar in practice. A college visit, a workplace tour, or a guest speaker session might be experiential learning, or it might be reach-ahead, or it might even qualify as an SPE depending on how it’s designed and delivered. This is why SHSM planning can feel confusing: the activities overlap, but the requirements and documentation expectations are not always identical.

This week, we break down what counts as SHSM experiential learning, what common activities qualify, and how to make sure your program stays aligned with Ontario requirements—without overcomplicating your planning.

What Experiential Learning Means in SHSM (In Plain Language)

In Ontario, experiential learning in SHSM is described as planned learning activities that take place outside the traditional classroom setting.¹

That definition matters because it emphasizes two things:

First, experiential learning should be planned and purposeful. A random outing or unstructured activity isn’t the goal. SHSM experiences are meant to connect students to sector learning and career exploration.

Second, experiential learning happens outside the traditional classroom setting, which can include both in-person experiences (like workplace visits) and structured virtual experiences (like online mentoring or virtual tours), as long as the learning is authentic and connected to the sector.¹

Many SHSM teachers describe experiential learning as “the heart of the program,” and that’s accurate. It’s where students stop learning about careers and start learning through real exposure to them. It’s also where students often gain clarity about what they enjoy, what they don’t enjoy, and what skills they need to build next.

What Counts as Experiential Learning in SHSM? (Ontario Examples)

Ontario SHSM policy includes clear examples of experiential learning and career exploration activities.¹ If you’re planning SHSM programming and want to be confident that an activity “counts,” the safest approach is to build from these recognized examples.

Work-site Tours and Industry Visits

Work-site tours are one of the most straightforward SHSM experiential learning activities. Students visit a workplace or sector-related environment and learn directly about careers, working conditions, and expectations. These visits can be eye-opening because students see the day-to-day reality of jobs instead of relying on assumptions or stereotypes.

A work-site tour can also help students connect classroom learning to the real world. For example, students in a construction SHSM may better understand safety procedures after seeing them in a professional environment. Students in a health and wellness SHSM may gain new appreciation for teamwork and communication after observing a clinical setting.

Work-site tours are powerful because they make careers feel real and reachable.

Contact With a Career Mentor

Career mentoring counts as experiential learning when it is structured and purposeful.¹ Mentoring can take many forms, including in-person meetings, virtual mentoring sessions, or scheduled career conversations.

Mentorship experiences can be especially valuable for students who don’t have career connections in their own networks. Even a short, well-designed mentoring session can help students understand what training is required, what entry-level work looks like, and what skills matter most in the field.

Mentoring is also a strong tool for building student confidence, especially when students can ask questions in a supportive environment.

Career Talks, Career Fairs, and Sector Conferences

Career talks and career fairs can count as experiential learning when they are planned as learning opportunities rather than passive listening sessions.¹

For SHSM students, the most effective guest speaker experiences include student preparation beforehand and reflection afterward. This turns the session into learning that students can remember, document, and connect to their pathway.

Sector conferences and career fairs are also valuable because they expose students to multiple roles within a sector. Many students only know the “headline jobs” (like nurse, mechanic, chef, programmer). Events like these help them see the broader range of careers that exist.

Skills Competitions (Example: Skills Ontario)

Ontario’s SHSM guide includes participation in technological skills competitions as an experiential learning example.¹ Competitions can be a powerful experience because they show students what high-level performance looks like in real tasks.

Even students who don’t place highly can benefit. Competitions teach students about professional standards, time management, problem-solving under pressure, and the reality of skill development over time. They also help students build confidence by participating in a real-world challenge.

Job Twinning

Job twinning is described as a one-on-one observation of a cooperative education student in a sector placement.¹ This is especially useful for younger students or students who are still exploring whether the sector is right for them.

Job twinning can help students understand what a co-op placement might look like and what expectations exist in a workplace. It can also reduce anxiety for students who are nervous about workplace learning.

Job Shadowing

Job shadowing is described as a day-long observation of a person working in the sector.¹ Job shadowing is often one of the most impactful experiences because it gives students a realistic view of the work environment.

Students learn not only about tasks, but also about professional behaviour, communication expectations, workplace pace, and the skills that matter most. Shadowing helps students move from “I think I might like this” to “I understand what this really involves.”

Work Experience (In-Person or Virtual)

Ontario’s SHSM guide includes work experience as an experiential learning example and notes it can be delivered in-person or virtually.¹ Work experience is typically shorter than co-op and can provide valuable exposure without requiring a full placement.

Virtual work experience has also become more common, particularly in sectors where digital environments are realistic and relevant. When structured well, virtual experiences can still provide meaningful insight into roles and expectations.

Does Co-op Count as Experiential Learning?

Yes—cooperative education is a form of experiential learning, but Ontario guidance makes it clear that SHSM students should also complete additional experiential learning and career exploration activities beyond co-op.¹

This is important for teachers because it prevents the common misconception that “co-op covers everything.” Co-op is a major component, but SHSM experiential learning should include multiple exposures so students gain a broader understanding of the sector.

Experiential Learning vs. Sector-Partnered Experiences (SPEs)

Experiential learning is broad. SPEs are more structured.

Ontario describes Sector-Partnered Experiences (SPEs) as experiences that are designed to help students develop sector knowledge and skills through engagement with sector partners.² The SHSM guide also emphasizes that SPEs are typically co-designed and co-delivered with sector partners and teachers, and they include student reflection.³

In other words, a guest speaker session might count as experiential learning, but it becomes an SPE when it is intentionally built as a structured learning experience in partnership with the sector, with clear outcomes and delivery expectations.

This distinction matters most for tracking and planning. It helps SHSM teams ensure they’re meeting all SHSM components without double-counting activities incorrectly.

Experiential Learning vs. Reach-Ahead Experiences

Reach-ahead experiences are designed to help students prepare for their postsecondary pathway. Ontario describes reach-ahead experiences as opportunities that connect students to apprenticeship, college, university, or workplace destinations.⁴

A college visit might feel like experiential learning—and it can be—but in SHSM planning, it is often tracked as a reach-ahead experience because the purpose is specifically connected to the student’s next step after graduation.⁴

The key difference is the intent. Experiential learning focuses on sector exploration and workplace learning. Reach-ahead experiences focus on postsecondary planning and pathway readiness.

A Simple “Does This Count?” Checklist for SHSM Teachers

If you want a quick way to evaluate whether an activity counts as experiential learning in SHSM, use this checklist:

The activity should be:

planned and purposeful
outside the traditional classroom setting
connected to the student’s SHSM sector
designed to support career exploration and skill awareness
paired with student reflection or evidence where possible¹

If your activity meets those criteria, you are strongly aligned with Ontario’s experiential learning expectations.

Final Thoughts: Experiential Learning Is What Makes SHSM Real

Experiential learning is one of the most powerful parts of SHSM because it gives students real exposure to careers and real confidence in their future options. It helps students understand workplaces, meet professionals, and discover pathways they may never have considered.

For teachers, the key is not to overcomplicate it. If your experiential learning is planned, sector-connected, and reflective, it is doing exactly what SHSM was designed to do.

References (Works Cited)

Ontario Ministry of Education. Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Policy and Implementation Guide — Experiential Learning and Career Exploration Activities. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/document/specialist-high-skills-major-shsm-policy-and-implementation-guide/experiential-learning ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹
Ontario Ministry of Education. Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Policy and Implementation Guide — Components of the SHSM Program. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/document/specialist-high-skills-major-shsm-policy-and-implementation-guide/components-shsm ↩
Ontario Ministry of Education. Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Policy and Implementation Guide — Sector-Partnered Experiences (SPEs). Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/document/specialist-high-skills-major-shsm-policy-and-implementation-guide/sector-partnered ↩
Ontario Ministry of Education. Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Policy and Implementation Guide — Reach-Ahead Experiences. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/document/specialist-high-skills-major-shsm-policy-and-implementation-guide/reach-ahead-experiences ↩ ↩²

What Counts As Experiential Learning in SHSM? (Ontario Teacher Guide)