News release

High Schools and Community College Agree to Links

Education (July 1999 - March 2013)

Nova Scotia students will be getting a head start in more college programs before they leave high school.

Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and the Department of Education signed the first in a series of provincial agreements today to help high school students make decisions about their careers and start their training early.

The first agreement will formally link the Tourism 11 course in the public school program with NSCC's Tourism and Hospitality Management programs. More agreements are in development for technology, aquaculture, forestry and other fields.

"Students in high school need to make plans for their futures, and this partnership will help," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "The college has many career-oriented programs, and by matching them with public school programs, we can help young Nova Scotians to get a head start on their training for good jobs."

Through the agreement, any student who successfully completes Tourism 11 with a minimum mark of 75 per cent will get credit for NSCC's Introduction to Tourism course. Upon graduation, if the student is admitted to the tourism and hospitality programs, he or she can immediately begin more advanced courses.

"This agreement creates a linkage between high school and college that is new to this province," said Ray Ivany, president, NSCC. "We see this as the first of many agreements to be signed that will create meaningful learning experiences for high school graduates within important sectors of our economy."

While some schools and boards have individual agreements with the college, the agreement signed today is the first provincial one. It will give all students in Nova Scotia the same opportunity to make a smooth transition from their high school studies to post- secondary education at the college.

NSCC will support today's agreement and future ones by promoting the new opportunities to high school students in many ways, particularly through NSCC's CollegePrep. The initiative links high school and NSCC programs to ensure student success in school and in entering the labour market.

Developing these agreements is part of government's commitment to expand opportunities for high school students to move into college programs.