How it Works – 80 Hours – Career Preparation – WEX 12A

Career Prep 80 Hours is an elective. It is very popular but you do not have to take it! If you want to elect it, here is what you do:

  1. Identify a career focus or goal. (You may have more than one choice in mind.)
    (Example: doctor, accountant, carpenter, social worker, artist, travel agent…)
  2. Select ONE focus areas that best relates to your career plans.  This focus area is not restrictive, therefore, you can request a work placement that is included in another focus.

Pick one of the following (*focus details here):

    • Business and Applied Business
    • Fine Arts, Design, and Media
    • Fitness and Recreation
    • Health and Human Services
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities
    • Science and Applied Sciences
    • Tourism, Hospitality and Foods
    • Trades and Technology
  • Choose four courses in Grade 11 & 12 that will help you to support your career areas of interest.  These are “natural” choices that you most likely would choose.  For example, “I am interested in Accounting as a future career.  I might select Accounting 11, and Math 11 Pre Calculus.”  or “I am interested in Health Science career.  I might select Biology as my science 11, because it focuses on the study of living organisms” or “I am interested in Political Science as a career, I might select Philosophy 12 because it is a university entrance course, and teaches logical reasoning.”
  • Meet with your Career Education Advisor to develop some personal goals for learning and skill development, discuss your career plans and work experience opportunities.

Complete 80 hours of work experience and related assignments.

  • Grade 11 – 40 hours (5 days)
  • Grade 12 – 40 hours (5 days)
  • Your work experience must be a school-sanctioned opportunity related to your career plans. You cannot count your own paid or volunteer work.
    *Note: You don’t have to do the compulsory 30 hours that you need for your grad transitions on top of this – it is included in the 80 hours, so you are actually only doing 50 extra hours.
  • In Grade 12 you will complete an Career Reflection Assignment (This will help with talking about your Work Experience as part of your Capstone Presentation.)
  • At the end of Grade 12, you will get a letter grade for WEX 12A (4 credit, Grade 12 course) based on  some forms/assignments that you must complete and your Career Reflection Project.

Note: Although this is a Grade 12 course, you must register for it at the end of Grade 10 so that you will have 2 ½ years to complete the 80 hours of work experience. (If your Career Educator feels that it is appropriate, you may be able to start accumulating work experience hours near to the end of Grade 10).

Pros and Cons of the Program

Back