​Hospitality and Tourism

Get a jump-start on your career

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—a hospitality and tourism major can help you focus on a future career. 

Profile of the hospitality and tourism sector

The tourism industry presents many advantages for employees because it offers a selection of well over 400 occupations. Tourism jobs also tend to provide plenty of opportunities for advancement, widely transferable skills, and ongoing training.

A Specialist High Skills Major in hospitality and tourism 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 hospitality/tourism
• experience working in the sector you're interested in, while you're still in high school
• skills and work habits that are required in the hospitality/tourism sector, using tools connected with the Ontario Skills Passport
• recognition on your high school diploma

The hospitality and tourism major includes the following components:

In the hospitality/tourism major, you will take nine credits in grade 11 and 12:

• four hospitality/tourism major credits
• one English credit, one math credit and one credit of either science or hospitality/tourism, each with units focused on hospitality/tourism
• two co-operative education credits to gain workplace experience that helps you refine, extend and practice your business knowledge and skills
• experiential learning, career exploration and reach-ahead activities in business
• six sector-recognized certifications and training programs, including customer service, first aid, CPR and hazardous materials

Sector-recognized certification and training

As part of the hospitality and tourism major, you will earn six certifications, including the following four that are compulsory:

• customer service
• standard first aid
• CPR, level A
• hazardous materials - Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS)

Future career paths for hospitality/tourism majors

For hospitality/tourism majors, possible careers include:

• apprenticeship – baker, cook, chef, special events coordinator
• college – flight attendant, food service manager
• university – nutritionist, dietician, hotel/resort manager
• entry level workplace – hotel valet, bartender

Get more information

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

Louise Arbour Secondary School, 905-793-5451

Rick Hansen Secondary School, 905-567-4260

Turner Fenton Secondary School, 905-453-9220

West Credit Secondary School, 905-858-3087