FAQs
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What is an OYAP participant?
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Do I Qualify for OYAP?
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Why should I register as an OYAP participant?
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How is OYAP participation recognized?
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I am going into Grade 12. Can I still participate in the OYAP?
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How do I register for OYAP?
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What if my career plans change after I become an OYAP participant?
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Is there any cost to the student?
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What about Dual Credits and SHSM? Should I consider taking them too?
Any student who enrolls in a cooperative education program in high school and secures a coop placement in
a trade related workplace will be asked to complete an
OYAP Participant Form with their coop teacher. Once this form is completed, student information will then be entered by the OYAP coordinator into the Employment Ontario Information System (EOIS) which will allow for Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) tracking of a student who wishes to pursue an apprenticeship while in high school or even after the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) has been achieved.
As of February 2021, this is the eligibility criteria for OYAP:
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Students in Grade 10 can now participate in the summer (July to August) before beginning Grade 11 in September (this is dependent upon whether or not summer school coop is being offered);
- The minimum age to participate in OYAP is now 15;
- Students must have a minimum of 14 credits to participate in OYAP.
Students in OYAP are involved in cooperative education experiences that match and develop their skills and interests. They are engaged and motivated to succeed because they can often connect their coop experience to their career goals.
OYAP participants have the opportunity to:
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connect with potential employers;
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develop job specific skills;
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earn industry-recognized certifications (I.e. Working at Heights);
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make real-life connections and gain valuable work experience through cooperative education;
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potentially start their apprenticeship training while in high school.
Students who complete a trade-related coop placement will receive a certificate at the end of their experience. This certificate includes: the student's name, placement name, trade name, start/finish date and the number of hours accrued at the workplace. Sample Certificate of Participation.
Yes of course! With the help of your guidance counsellor, you will need to add 2 or 4 credits of coop to your timetable. Talk with your coop teacher about finding a work placement in one of the
144 trades recognized by OYAP. Once your placement is confirmed, you will complete an
OYAP Participant Form with your coop teacher.
Add cooperative education courses to your course selections. Then see your Guidance Counselor or Co-operative Education teacher to plan accordingly for a trades related placement.
You will still gain credits through your high school coop experience and you will still receive an OYAP Participation Certificate. There is no obligation to sign a Registered Training Agreement (RTA) or become an apprentice with your employer.
Any costs that might be associated with OYAP (such as certification training for job specific duties) will be covered by OYAP funding.
Yes. Dual credits allow a student to take a college course (at Loyalist College or St. Lawrence College) and earn a high school credit towards their diploma, as well as the college credit. OYAP students are automatically eligible to take dual credits, and certain dual credits are related to the skilled trades. OYAP also supports students in Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) sectors such as Construction, Hospitality & Tourism, Non-profit, and Transportation. Talk to your Guidance Counsellor and/or Coop teacher for more information as dual credit course offerings differ from year to year.
