Pre-DEP (15+) Program

The PRE-DEP program is similar to a concentration program. It is a one year program. It responds to the interests of students and offers the opportunity to complete the prerequisites required for admission to the professional sector in high school.

This career oriented program is based on the exploration and experimentation of skilled trades in companies and/or in vocational training centers. 

The activities in the program provide students with opportunities to gain a good understanding of careers and the related studies in vocational education that they are interested in. The program includes the three core subjects, English, French, and Mathematics at the secondary three or four level depending on what courses the students have already completed. Each of the core courses is the same as in the general education path, but offers more time which improves chances of success.

The 15+  program operates successfully across Quebec. It has a proven track record in helping students motivationally and in helping them to reach their career goals in the professional trades.

This program is intended for students who wish to pursue a trade at Vocational Training or have an interest in 24U in the following year.

In this program,  students focus on successfully completing Level 3 academics in Math, English and French, rather than the regular course load. 

The students also take career preparation classes such as; Entrepreneurship, Personal Orientation Project and Exploration of Vocations. 

"Explorations of Vocations" is not a job placement, but rather incorporates visits to trades schools, factories or other work places, shadowing or interviewing tradespeople and completing aptitude tests. 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

What is the 15+ (PRE-DEP) program:

• It is a specialized program allowing the development of the qualifications necessary to enroll in a professional study program;

• It is an educational environment that corresponds to the students’ life goals with a personalized motivation approach and concrete skills related to their future vocational studies;

• It is an educational approach that provides alternation between courses at school and career exploration in training centers and companies as well as meeting guest speakers who work in the professional trades. 

• It is a program that offers certifications such as first-aid training that are highly-desired within the workforce.

What will students learn in the PRE-DEP program?

• Through the career exploration and study program, students complete the same core subjects (mathematics, French and English) in Secondary 3 or 4 as in the general education path. 

• Through on-site career exploration and in-class research, students gain a good understanding of what it takes to be successful in the trades that interest them and of the benefits of those careers in the job market. 

• Certain certifications are offered that are beneficial to obtaining employment.

• Students acquire a very good understanding of the practical skills, interpersonal skills, and of the work environment of the careers that interest them, while gaining the academic knowledge required to pursue their studies in vocational training.

Why register for the PRE-DEP program?

• The program has proven itself in Quebec and has enabled young people to find their way to a successful and fulfilling career.

• The educational activities explore students’ areas of interest in the specialized trades of vocational training.

• The exploration of the different trades allow students to discover new interests, and to look at their future with more confidence.

• The students gain skills that are related to vocational studies.

• Students have fewer mandatory subjects so they have more time to complete the requirements in French, English, Math. The extra time increases their chance for success in all three core subjects. 

• The class size is smaller than the general path which gives teachers more time to respond to individual needs.

What are the opportunities after the 15+ (PRE-DEP) program?

• Most students continue their high school studies in the 24U (concomitance) program that provides two diplomas (a “DES” and a “DEP”). A “DEP” program can last anywhere from 600 to 1800 hours and train students in a profession to directly enter the job market or to enter a specialization in their chosen professional trade.

• Some students continue by following a vocational studies diploma (DEP) in order to enter the job market more quickly. 

• Students also have the choice to continue their studies in the general education pathway.

What are the admission criteria?

• An expressed interest in pursuing vocational education is required.

• Students need to be 15 years’ old or older by September 30;

• Students have succeeded at least two of the three core subjects in Secondary 2 (French, mathematics, and English). A student who failed one of the three core courses is expected to do extra work in that subject in order to be successful.