WELCOME TO CAREER EDUCATION AT BURNABY CENTRAL!



The goal of the Career Programs department is to provide students with hands-on work experiences that are related to their career goals.

Ms. Holly Keon
Burnaby Central Secondary
Career Education Advisor
604-296-6852
[email protected]
Room B214 (Math wing)
​Book an appointment here: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/[email protected]/bookings/



​Work Experience: 30 or 80 Hours?

On the grade 11 and 12 course selection forms students are asked to make a choice between 2 work experience options – 30 Hours or 80 Hours.

30 HOURS of Work Experience – A Graduation Requirement 
(Part of Career Life Connections 11/12 curriculum a requirement for graduation.)

NOTE: everyone must complete a minimum of 30 hours of work experience to graduate! 

What can count for the 30 hours of work experience?
  • paid work (* some restrictions apply)
  • volunteer work (* some restrictions apply)
  • work experience arranged by a Career Education Advisor
​
Grade 11s, you and your workplace supervisor must complete a package of forms. See your Career Education Advisor in Room B214 to get more details on the paperwork process.

Form: Grade 11 Work Experience 30 hours

Form: Grade 12 Work Experience 30 hours 

**Please note that Grade 11 and 12s have different 30 hour forms as a result of COVID.

Please submit completed forms to Ms. Keon in room B214.

80 Hours – How it Works – WEX 12A

Work Experience (WEX) 11/12 80 Hours is an elective. It is very popular but you do not have to take it! It also satisfies the Work Experience requirement. If you want to elect to take  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 paperwork over 2 years.
  • 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: Work Experience 80 hours does fulfill your graduation requirement. 
  • 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 are encouraged to 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).
  • Grade 12s can elect to take WEX12a as a single year course, this simply means that you will need to do all 80 hours in one year.

WhyTake 80 Hour Work Experience?

PROS
  • 80 hours satisfies the 30-hour requirement for graduation and grants you a 4 credit, grade 12 ADST course
  • Gives you a chance to learn about specific jobs. You are better informed, and therefore, can make wiser career choices.
  • Make valuable career contacts that could assist you with planning your career or gaining entry into your chosen field
  • Boost your GPA. Most students do extremely well on the placement which translates to a high mark for the course.
  • Supervisors provide you with an evaluation/reference that you can add to your résumé.
  • Most employers prefer to hire someone with some sort of experience.
  • There is a chance that the company where you do your work experience may offer you paid part time or summer work.
  • Course can count as one of the 16 courses that you are allowed to take in Grade 11 & 12. Thus if you choose WE12A  you can have a study block  (if approved, & usually in Grade 12 year). If you want to be enrolled in 16 courses plus WE12A, it can be a 9th class in your grade 12 year.
  • If you are submitting any type of application (post-secondary institutions, scholarships) the more “well rounded and experienced” you are, the better your application looks to a screening committee.
  • Approximately 70% of students in Burnaby do choose a Career Preparation Program

CON
  • You may have to miss some school (depending on the employers’ willingness to take students outside of school time). You are responsible for all work missed during your absence and it may be difficult to complete all of your missed assignments if you have a heavy academic load. Most teachers are understanding and will give you a reasonable amount of time to catch up, but you must be aware of this responsibility before you choose Career Preparation. We do work to place you outside of school time wherever possible.