A Specialist High Skills Major allows you to focus on a career area that interests you while you earn your high school diploma. No matter what education you plan to pursue after high school – apprenticeship, college, university or workplace training – an environment major can help you focus on a future career.

A Specialist High Skills Major in environment offers:

  • high school courses in Grade 11 and 12 tailored to the career you want to pursue
  • the chance to work with industry leaders and experience cutting-edge training in the environment
  • experience working in the sector you’re interested in, while you’re still in high school
  • recognition on your high school diploma

The environment major includes the following components:

  1. In the environment major, you will take nine credits in grade 11 and 12:
    • four environment major credits
    • two English credit, one math credit and one science credit, each with activities focused on the environment
    • two co-operative education credits to gain workplace experience that helps you refine, extend and practice your environment knowledge and skills
  2. Sector-recognized certifications and/or training courses/programs 
  3. Experiential learning and career exploration activities within the sector
  4. Reach ahead experiences connected with the student’s postsecondary plans
  5. Completion of a Sector-Partnered Contextualized Experience

Sector-recognized certification and training

As part of the environment ​major, you will earn seven certifications, including the following four that are compulsory:

  • global positioning system
  • standard first aid
  • CPR, Level A
  • hazardous materials – Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS)

Future career paths for environment majors

For environment majors, possible careers include:

  • apprenticeship – this sector does not yet offer apprenticeship opportunities
  • college – conservation and fishery officer, soil testing technologist, forest ecologist, land surveyor, biological technician
  • university – environmental biologist, waste diversion consultant, landscape architect, environmental and occupational toxicologist
  • entry level workplace – outdoor sport and recreation guide, wastewater treatment plant operator, recycled paper handler, recreation program leader

Get more information​

Call the guidance department at the following schools that offer the program: