ICT SHSM: The Complete Program Guide for Ontario

Ontario has the highest tech employment concentration of any Canadian province, at approximately 8% of its overall workforce (CompTIA 2025). The province added 17,837 net new tech workers in 2024, and the average Ontario tech salary is approximately $100,226. The ICT SHSM prepares students to enter this high-demand field through a structured pathway of courses, industry certifications, and real-world experiences.

This guide covers the credit bundle, certification requirements, tech career pathways, SPE ideas, post-secondary alignment, and how LearnIt can support implementation. It is built for SHSM coordinators and teachers running or considering the ICT sector, one of 19 SHSM sectors offered in Ontario. For readers new to the program, our guide to what SHSM is provides a complete overview.

What Is the ICT SHSM? Sector Overview

The SHSM ICT sector, formally called Information and Communication Technology, prepares Ontario high school students for careers across software development, computer engineering, media production, networking, and related technology fields. The program requires a bundle of 9 credits across all destination pathways (apprenticeship, college, university, and workplace):

• 4 ICT major credits at the Grade 11 or 12 level
• 1 English
• 1 Mathematics
• 1 Arts, Business Studies, or Science credit (which can be substituted with an additional major or co-op credit)
• 2 Cooperative Education credits in an ICT workplace setting

Up to 3 ICT-related co-op credits can also count as major credits. Beyond the credit bundle, students must complete 3 compulsory and 3 elective certifications, at least 1 Sector-Partnered Experience, and reach-ahead activities connecting them to post-secondary and career options. Ontario’s tech sector employs approximately 8% of the provincial workforce with an average tech salary of approximately $100,226 (CompTIA 2025).

The ICT SHSM offers three common focus streams documented across Ontario school boards:

• Communications Technology and Media centres on TGJ3M and TGJ4M as core courses, with some overlap with the Arts and Culture SHSM in media production areas
• Computer Science and Software uses ICS3U and ICS4U
• Computer Engineering builds around TEJ3M and TEJ4M

The Ministry confirms the ICT SHSM can vary its focus by changing the mix of major credits across communications systems, computer systems, or software and digital media. Students interested in tech applications in healthcare or commerce may also explore the Health and Wellness or Business SHSM.

For full details on the five components every SHSM student must complete, see the SHSM requirements guide.

ICT SHSM Certifications: Compulsory and Elective Requirements

ICT SHSM students must complete 6 certifications: 3 compulsory and 3 elective, all provided free of charge through SHSM program funding of approximately $300 per student. The three compulsory certifications are CPR Level C with AED, Standard First Aid, and WHMIS. WHMIS is unique among SHSM certifications in that it does not require a certified trainer for delivery.

For the three elective certifications, students choose from approximately 33 Ministry-approved categories specific to the ICT sector. Key tech-specific categories include advanced training in a technique (covering website design, coding, digital lighting, and SEO), CISCO networking, computer hardware, electronics (basic), Internet security, network cabling, network configuration, sector-specific software, and technical support. Professional skills categories include customer service, intellectual property, leadership skills, portfolio development, and project management. SHSM elective certifications are typically half-day to full-day workshops, not multi-week vendor certification courses like CompTIA A+ or the Google IT Support Professional Certificate.

Source: Ontario Ministry of Education, “Specialist High Skills Major Policy and Implementation Guide – Information and Communication Technology” (ontario.ca/document/specialist-high-skills-major-shsm-policy-and-implementation-guide/information-and).

For a comprehensive guide to how ICE certifications work across all sectors, see the ICE training guide.

The Ministry lists approximately 33 elective certification categories for the ICT sector. Representative examples:

• Advanced training in a technique (website design, coding, digital lighting, SEO)
• CISCO networking
• Computer hardware
• Electronics (basic)
• Internet security
• Network cabling and configuration
• Sector-specific software
• Technical support
• Customer service, intellectual property, leadership, portfolio development, project management

A critical distinction for coordinators: SHSM elective certifications are typically half-day to full-day workshops, not multi-week vendor certification courses like CompTIA A+ or Google IT Support. Certifications commonly earned inside Ontario ICT SHSM programs include:

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access
• IC3 digital literacy
• Adobe Certified Professional (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro)
• Autodesk Certified User (Maya, 3ds Max)
• Toon Boom Animation

LearnIt Solutions delivers ICT-specific workshops including Animation, Python and App Development, Website Design, Responsible AI, SEO, Computer Hardware, and Game Design. Board-specific examples include Cisco Networking Academy’s IT Essentials at TDSB David & Mary Thomson CI and Transport Canada Basic Operations Drone Pilot certification at HCDSB St. Thomas Aquinas.

What Career Pathways Does the ICT SHSM Lead To?

The ICT SHSM connects students to four official Ministry destination pathways, each with specific career outcomes:

• Apprenticeship pathway: computer network technicians, telecommunications installation and repair workers, and user support technicians
• College pathway: broadcast technicians, graphic designers, information systems testing technicians, and audio/video recording technicians
• University pathway: computer programmers, software engineers, information systems analysts, and technical sales specialists
• Workplace pathway: desktop publishing, residential and commercial installers, and retail technology roles

Beyond these formal pathways, the ICT SHSM connects to Ontario’s broader tech labour market. Ontario added 17,837 net new tech workers in 2024, the largest net increase of any Canadian province. The province maintains the highest tech employment concentration in the country at approximately 8% of total workforce, according to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce Canada 2025 report.

Cybersecurity employment in Canada is growing at roughly 2.4% annually, faster than the national average across all occupations. AI and machine learning roles are among the fastest-growing categories in the Canadian tech workforce. Tech occupations overall are expected to grow at roughly double the pace of general employment over the next decade. Toronto ranks fourth in North America for tech talent, with the city adding 95,900 tech jobs between 2018 and 2023 (a 44% five-year increase), according to CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent 2024 report. The average Ontario tech salary is approximately $100,226, significantly above the provincial median of approximately $55,000.

Source: Tech employment concentration and net new tech workers from CompTIA, “State of the Tech Workforce Canada 2025” (comptia.org/en-us/resources/research/state-of-the-tech-workforce-canada-2025/). Provincial and city tech salary averages from CompTIA, “Canada’s Tech Workforce 2025: Trends, Job Growth, and Future Opportunities” (comptia.org/en-us/blog/canadas-tech-workforce-2025-trends-job-growth-and-future-opportunities/). Toronto tech-talent ranking and 44% five-year growth from CBRE, “Scoring Tech Talent 2024: Canada Leads Tech Talent Growth, Toronto Makes a Comeback” (cbre.ca/insights/articles/canada-leads-tech-talent-growth-toronto-makes-a-comeback). Cybersecurity annual growth rate from the Canadian Occupational Projection System, cybersecurity specialist outlook, Employment and Social Development Canada (occupations.esdc.gc.ca).

ICT Career	Entry-Level Salary (Ontario)	Pathway
IT Technician	Approximately $54,000	College / Workplace
Software Developer	$43,000 to $70,000	College / University
Software Engineer (Toronto)	$79,000 to $135,000	University
Cybersecurity Professional	$80,000 to $115,000	College / University

For students evaluating whether the ICT pathway is right for them, our guide on whether SHSM is worth it provides a pathway-specific value analysis. For scholarship opportunities tied to SHSM completion, see the SHSM scholarships guide.

Post-Secondary Programs That Align with ICT SHSM

University programs aligned with the ICT SHSM:

• University of Waterloo (BCS/BSE, world’s largest co-op, mid-to-high 90s)
• University of Toronto (BSc CS, ranked first in Canada, low-to-mid 90s)
• Toronto Metropolitan University (BSc CS and Cyber Science, mid-80s)
• Ontario Tech University (BSc CS, BIT Networking and Security, BIT Game Development, mid-70s to low-80s)
• Carleton University, York University (Lassonde), University of Ottawa, and Western University

College programs aligned with the ICT SHSM:

• Seneca Polytechnic (Computer Programming, Cybersecurity with ISC2 partnership)
• George Brown College (Computer Programming and Analysis with a fully online option)
• Conestoga College (ranked second in Canada for cybersecurity, 2025)
• Humber Polytechnic (Computer Programming and Analysis, Honours BIT in AI, ML, cloud computing, and data analytics)
• Algonquin College (Cyber Security Analysis graduate certificate, Computer Systems Technology)

Critical planning note: MHF4U (Advanced Functions) and MCV4U (Calculus and Vectors) are prerequisites for virtually all university CS programs. ICS3U and ICS4U are recommended but not required for admission. University-pathway ICT SHSM students must take these math courses. College ICT programs typically require only the OSSD with Grade 12 C-level English and C-level or Grade 11 U/M Math, making them the most accessible pathway. Transfer routes exist from Durham to Ontario Tech, Seneca to York/TMU, and Conestoga to Waterloo.

Experiential Learning and SPE Ideas for ICT Students

Ministry requirements specify at least one SPE of approximately 6 hours, focusing on Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICE), coding, or math literacy. Each SPE must be co-designed and co-delivered by a sector partner and teacher, concluding with a student self-assessment. Our ICE training guide covers structuring these experiences in detail.

Successful ICT SPE placements across Ontario boards include:

• Co-op coding roles at Digitera and TwelveDot
• Animation placements at Mercury Filmworks
• Media production at Cable 14 and website projects for local businesses
• Industry tours to Amazon Fulfillment Centers, Christie Digital, and University of Waterloo electronics labs
• YRDSB’s “Develop the Future” program teaching Swift programming through real app creation

Virtual SPE delivery is a unique strength of the ICT sector. The Ministry’s updated experiential learning policy (November 2025) explicitly recognizes virtual work experience, defined as work done through communications technology from the school. Since coding uses cloud-based IDEs, cybersecurity relies on virtual environments, and web development is inherently screen-based, rural schools get equal access to quality content. LearnIt Solutions offers virtual certification delivery for ICT, and Canadian high school hackathons like EurekaHACKS, MasseyHacks, and Hack the North also serve as SPE opportunities.

Implementation Tips: Running an ICT SHSM Effectively

Schools running the ICT SHSM need dedicated computer labs capable of running IDEs, Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk software, and virtual machines. Communications streams require video and audio equipment, while engineering streams benefit from 3D printers and networking hardware. Key software:

• Microsoft 365
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Autodesk Education licenses (free)
• Cisco Packet Tracer (free through NetAcad)

The ICT sector holds advantages over other SHSM sectors:

• Lower physical infrastructure barriers (no heavy machinery)
• Widely available free software
• Strong virtual delivery compatibility
• Over 46,000 tech businesses in Ontario as potential industry partners
• High natural student interest

Challenges include rapid technology obsolescence, teacher training gaps, and equity variation across boards. The People for Education “Connecting to Success” report identifies bandwidth and device shortages as the biggest barriers in rural schools.

SHSM program funding totalled $23.7 million province-wide in 2020 to 2021, with $12 million in expansion funding in 2021 to 2022. All certifications are funded at no cost to students. Coordinators should note that Grade 11 and 12 courses date from 2008 to 2009, and supplementing with current tools through certification workshops and SPE activities keeps the program relevant.

Source: People for Education, “Connecting to Success: Technology in Ontario Schools” (peopleforeducation.ca/report/connecting-to-success-technology-in-ontario-schools/). SHSM funding figures from Ontario Ministry of Education 2020–21 Priorities and Partnerships Funding memo B10 and Ministry Published Plans and Annual Reports 2025–2026 (ontario.ca/page/published-plans-and-annual-reports-2025-2026-ministry-education).

How LearnIt Supports ICT SHSM Programs

LearnIt delivers ICT-specific elective certifications including Animation, Python and App Development, Website Design, Responsible AI, SEO, Computer Hardware, Game Design, and more. Delivery options include in-school ($30 to $65 per student), off-site ($65 to $120 per student), and virtual sessions. LearnIt also delivers ICE challenge experiences and Sector-Partnered Experiences for ICT students.

At Chaminade College School and Francis Libermann Catholic High School (TCDSB), students in LearnIt’s Agentic AI Workshop built functional AI agents in a single day with no prior experience. At MaRS Discovery District, LearnIt partnered with SickKids Foundation to run an ICE Challenge for 45 students from Halton Catholic DSB across ICT and Health and Wellness sectors. All workshops are led by relatable mentors in their 20s and 30s. LearnIt works with over 20 Ontario school board partners.

Contact LearnIt to discuss ICT certification and SPE options for your school or board.

Conclusion: Why ICT Is One of the Strongest SHSM Sectors

The ICT SHSM offers one of the strongest connections between classroom learning and real workforce demand in Ontario. The province’s tech sector pays well (approximately $100,226 average salary per CompTIA 2025) and is growing fast (17,837 net new tech workers added in 2024). It needs workers across every pathway. Toronto ranks fourth in North America for tech talent with over 25% growth in five years, according to CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent 2024 report. The sector’s adaptability to virtual delivery, lower infrastructure barriers, and high student interest make it an accessible choice for boards of all sizes.

For students evaluating the overall value of SHSM, read our guide on whether SHSM is worth it. For coordinators new to the program, start with our complete guide to what is SHSM.