OCSB Pathways

Cooking became more than a skill for Tamir 🍳❤️ Through our Culinary Co-op Program at the OCSB, he discovered confidence, community, and a future full of possibilities. In this video, Tamir shares how the program helped him grow both in and out of the kitchen. Inspired by his Red Seal Chef mentors Chef Jen, Chef Wes and Chef Chris, he now hopes to pursue a future as a professional chef himself 👨‍🍳 From learning hands-on culinary skills to building relationships and finding people who truly care about him, his story is a reminder that sometimes the right opportunity can change everything. And his message to other students? Be yourself ✨ Interested in joining our Culinary Co-op Program? Visit our website or speak with your guidance counsellor to learn more about upcoming opportunities. #OCSB #ocsbPathways #SkilledTrades #SkillsForCanadians #StudentSuccess #BeYourself @skillsontario @skillsforcanadians @skilledtradesontario

Shopping for a cause? Don’t mind if we do 🛍️💙 OCSB students brought their ideas to life at the Catholic Education Centre through the Social Entrepreneurs Program (SEP), turning the Board Office into a marketplace full of purpose, creativity, and heart. Staff were all in, proudly supporting student-run booths and the causes that matter most to them… and yes, happily spending along the way! 💸✨ Through SEP, students step into the role of entrepreneurs and changemakers. Partnering with local businesses, they explore real-world social issues, choose charities to support, and build their own social enterprises from the ground up. From pitching for seed funding to creating products and awareness campaigns, every step is student-led and rooted in the UN Sustainable Development Goals 🌍 The result? Students discovering their voice, their impact, and their power to make a difference in the world around them. Because when students combine passion with purpose… incredible things happen. 💡 #ocsbBeCommunity #ocsbBuildsBridges #StudentSuccess #Entrepreneurship #GlobalCompetencies #UNSDGs #LearningByDoing

More than 200 meals each week. Countless lessons learned. 🍽️❤️ Through the Skilled Meals Culinary Co-op Program, OCSB students are gaining hands-on culinary experience while giving back to the community in a meaningful way. From professional kitchen skills to teamwork, leadership and service, students are discovering that food can do more than nourish people… it can build confidence and futures too. This incredible partnership between the OCSB, Skills Council Canada and the Caldwell Family Centre is helping students explore careers in hospitality and culinary arts while supporting families across Ottawa. 🔗 Tap the link in our bio to read the full blog! #ocsb #ocsbBuildsBridges #SkilledTrades #CulinaryArts #ExperientialLearning #StudentSuccess #CommunitySupport #HospitalityCareers @skillsforcanadians @skilledtradesontario @ocsb_pathways

Team OCSB showed up in Toronto and represented our community with incredible pride 💙👏 Elanna, Alex, Enzo, Emma, Chris, Caleb, Casey, and Damien showcased not only their skills and talent at the Ontario Skills Competition, but also their professionalism, determination, and passion for the Skilled Trades. These students represented OCSB, their schools, their co-op placements, ESTA (Elite Skilled Trades Academy), OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program), and SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major) programs with excellence from start to finish ✨ We could not be prouder of how well these students represented our schools and community on the provincial stage. Watching them compete, support one another, and carry themselves with confidence was something truly special. Thank you to the educators, families, mentors, and community partners who continue to support and encourage these future skilled professionals every step of the way 🔨⚡🛠️ Interested in learning more about Skilled Trades pathways at OCSB? Visit our OCSB website and talk to your guidance counsellor at school! Stay tuned 👀 We’ll be sharing post-competition photos and highlights later this week! #soc2026 #OCSB #ocsbBeCommunity #SkilledTrades #OntarioSkills #SkillsOntario #FutureReady @skilledtradesontario @skillsforcanadians @ht.council @ht.announcements @sfxcoyotes @stfrancisxavier_hs @stmatthewstuco smhscouncil @stpaulchs

Some students dream of boardrooms. Others dream of building them. 🔨✨ At the OCSB Elite Skilled Trades Academy (ESTA), students are gaining hands-on experience in Automotive Service, Carpentry and Masonry while building career-ready skills for the future. From earning apprenticeship hours through OYAP to working with industry-standard technology and exploring dual credit opportunities, ESTA helps students turn passion into possibility. Students are also learning how skilled trades can strengthen communities through meaningful projects like Rebuilding Wheels, Rebuilding Lives. ❤️🚗 The future needs builders, creators, innovators and problem-solvers. OCSB students are already stepping up. 📲 Learn more and apply through our OCSB Website. #ocsb #ocsbBuildsBridges #SkilledTrades #OYAP #ESTA #Apprenticeship #StudentSuccess #ExperientialLearning #CareersInTrades @ocsb_pathways @skillsforcanadians @skilledtradesontario

There’s something pretty special about having a professional artist right in the classroom. 🎤✨ Students in Ms. Kathleen Brennan’s Grade 6 class at Our Lady of Fatima Elementary had the incredible opportunity to learn from JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter @jeremyfishermusic , who brought his passion, creativity and real-world experience directly to our young songwriters. Through storytelling and songwriting, Jeremy encouraged students to be honest, open and even a little vulnerable as they explored their own ideas and voices. As part of the Opening Doors, Building Bridges, Nourish New Beginnings project, this experience is connecting more than just students. It’s building bridges across Religious Education, French and English language learning, and the Arts, showing how creativity can bring everything together in meaningful ways. 🎶 Next steps? These powerful student-written lyrics will be shared with music students at St. Pius X High School, where Mr. Michael Sasso’s class will compose the instrumental accompaniment to bring these songs to life. We can’t wait to hear what comes next! @ocsbBonjour @elementary_success_ocsb @ocsb_pathways @st.piusxhs @jeremyfishermusic @ocsb_it @ocsbBonjour @ocsbRE @ocsbArts @elementary_success_ocsb #MusicEducation #Songwriting #ArtsInEd #OpeningDoors #BuildingBridges #BuildingBridgesThroughMusic #ocsbArts #OCSB #ocsbBuildsBridges

Getting our hands dirty in the best way 🌱   Recently, students at St. Mark dove into Roots to Trades, an initiative connecting classroom learning to real-world pathways in Green Industries and Skilled Trades. From exploring future career options to creating their own seed snails (yes… seed snails 🐌💚), this hands-on experience was a hit!   This is just Part 1… next up: school garden clean-ups and beautification projects 🌼   @smhslions #ocsbBeCommunity #ocsbBuildsBridges #SkilledTrades #GreenIndustries #StudentSuccess #LearningByDoing

Future plans, but make them hands-on 🔧 Students at Lester B. Pearson got a closer look at what a future in Skilled Trades and the construction industry can offer, thanks to a visit from LiUNA Local 527. With nearly 250 students from Grade 8 and high school Tech classes taking part, it was a day full of exploration, questions, and real-world insight. From learning about pathways to trying out tools, students had the chance to picture what their next steps could look like 👷‍♀️👷‍♂️ Because sometimes the best way to imagine your future… is to build it. @lbpearsonocsb @lbpstuco liunalocal527 #ocsbBeCommunity #ocsbBuildsBridges #SkilledTrades #StudentSuccess #LearningBy

Big talent in a small but mighty package 💄✨ Meet Elanna Le, a passionate young artist already on her way to becoming an incredible Esthetician. Her journey started years ago, watching her grandmother work her magic in the salon… and clearly, that spark stuck 💕 Now she’s heading to Toronto to compete at the Ontario Skills Competition, aiming for the title of Ontario's up-and-coming top make-up artists! And the best part? She gets to share the experience with her best friend by her side as her model. Talk about the ultimate dream team 👯‍♀️ We can’t wait to see Elanna shine, create, and show Ontario what she’s made of. Let’s go, Elanna! 💫 #OCSB #ocsbBeCommunity #SkilledTrades #OntarioSkills #SkillsOntario #FutureReady #EestheticianJourney @skillsforcanadianb @stfrancisxavier_hs @sfxcoyotes

Alex Matsybora is ready to trade the classroom for the shop floor… and Toronto is his next stop 🔧🏁 Competing in Outdoor Powered Equipment, Alex is diving into the world of dirt bikes, motorcycles, and boat motors… basically, if it has an engine and a little attitude, he’s in his element 🏍️🚤 With his sights set on becoming an automotive engineer after high school, Alex is embracing every opportunity to learn, grow, and challenge himself. He’s especially excited to meet new people, take on new experiences, and make the most of his time at the Ontario Skills Competition. We can’t wait to see where this journey takes him… full throttle ahead 💨👏 #OCSB #ocsbPathways #SkilledTrades #OntarioSkillsCompetition #FutureReady #ocsbBeCommunity @ht.council @skilledtradesontario @skillsforcanadians

Enzo Santullo is the kind of person who turns curiosity into horsepower… and now he’s taking that drive to Toronto for the Ontario Skills Competition in Automotive Services 🚗💨 Through SHSM and co-op, Enzo didn’t just learn skills… he found his passion, one he proudly credits his dad for helping spark early on ❤️ And it shows. He’s vibrant, driven, incredibly well-spoken, and the kind of person who lights up every room (and probably every engine he touches 🔧). We can’t wait to see him showcase his talent, connect with others, and represent OCSB with that signature charm and energy. No matter the outcome, we already know he’s going places… fast 💨 Let’s cheer him on! 👏 #OCSB #ocsbPathways #SkilledTrades #OntarioSkillsCompetition #FutureReady #SHSM #CoopEducation #ocsbBeCommunity @ht.council @ht.announcements @skilledtradesontario @skillsforcanadians

A “try on your future” kind of day 🎓✨ OCSB Grade 10 students stepped into their futures at the Algonquin Connections Event, spending the day exploring pathways, building connections, and discovering where their skills and talents can take them next. Thank you to Algonquin College for welcoming our students for an incredible day of hands-on learning and career exploration! From Pre-Service Firefighting 🚒 and Police Foundations 🚔 to Culinary Skills 🍳 and Broadcast – Television and Streaming Video 🎥, students connected with professors and experienced what these pathways can look like beyond high school. Grade 10 is such an important moment to start thinking ahead, to explore strengths, uncover passions, and imagine the pathways that feel like the right fit. Opportunities like this help students make those connections and see what’s possible 💭 Because sometimes the best way to plan your future… is to try it on. @algonquincollege #AlgonquinConnections #ocsbBeCommunity #ocsbBuildsBridges #StudentSuccess #Pathways #LearningByDoing