Plan Your Future, One Step at a Time
As you move through school, you will make decisions about courses, activities, experiences and your plans after graduation.
Your Individual Pathways Plan (IPP) helps you:
- Identify your interests and strengths.
- Explore opportunities.
- Set goals.
- Create a plan for your future.
Using My Pathway Planner, you can build, review and update your plan as you learn more about yourself and the opportunities available to you. All students in Grades 7–12 develop and review their IPP throughout the school year.
Guiding Your Planning
The IPP is based on four questions to help you plan your initial post-secondary destination.
The first step in planning your future is understanding who you are.
As you build your IPP, think about your:
- interests
- strengths
- skills and abilities
- values
- learning preferences
- favourite activities and experiences
As you learn more about yourself, you can begin to identify courses, activities and career pathways that may be a good fit for you. My Pathway Planner includes tools and activities that can help you learn more about yourself and record your reflections.
School provides many opportunities to learn, grow and explore possible pathways. As you build your IPP, think about experiences that can help you discover your interests and develop new skills. Consider opportunities such as:
- clubs and extracurricular activities
- athletics
- volunteer experiences and community involvement
- leadership opportunities
- secondary school programs and opportunities, such as Cooperative Education, Specialist High Skills Major, Dual Credit programs, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and much more
- workplace and experiential learning opportunities
These experiences can help you build skills, learn about careers and explore different pathways after high school.
As you learn about yourself and explore opportunities, you can begin thinking about your future goals.
This doesn't mean having all the answers right now. Your plans may change as you gain new experiences and discover new interests.
Research:
- careers and occupations
- apprenticeships and skilled trades
- college programs
- university programs
- workplace pathways
- community opportunities
Your IPP can help you document your ideas, research and reflections as you explore possible futures.
Goals are the things that you want to accomplish. Plans are the map to achieving these goals.
Goals and plans work together to help you stay on track and reach your dreams. When setting goals, think about:
- What do I want to achieve?
- What steps will help me get there?
- Who can support me? Family, friends, educators, guidance counsellors and support staff can help you plan.
A SMART goal can help you create a clear plan:
- Specific – clearly describe your goal
- Measurable – identify how you will track progress
- Achievable – make it realistic
- Relevant – connect it to your interests and plans
- Time-Bound – set a timeline for completion
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to set a SMART goal and stick with it, you may find that your goal is too hard or just not the right fit for you. If that happens, ask yourself some important questions:
- Do I need to put in more effort?
- Do I need more information?
- Was my goal realistic?
- Did something beyond my control cause problems?
- Who can I ask for help?
Take time to evaluate your progress, adjust your goals and celebrate your achievements!
Building and Updating Your IPP
Your Individual Pathways Plan is a living document that grows with you. This is your plan to help you record and organize information, opportunities and experiences throughout school.
Using My Pathway Planner, you can:
- Record your interests, strengths and goals
- Explore careers and pathways
- Research colleges, universities, apprenticeships and workplaces
- Document experiences and accomplishments
- Reflect on your learning
- Review and update your plans
Students review and update their IPP at least twice each year, but you can access and update your plan whenever you need to.
Who Can Help?
Planning for your future is a team effort. Support is available from:
- Family members
- Educators, support staff and guidance counsellors
- Coaches and mentors
- Employers and workplace supervisors
- Community members
These people can help you explore options, answer questions and support you as you work toward your goals.
My Plan. My Future.
Your Individual Pathways Plan is a tool to help you learn about yourself, explore opportunities, make informed decisions and prepare for life after high school.
As you grow, your interests and goals may change and your plan can change too. The important thing is to keep exploring, reflecting and building a pathway that is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Individual Pathways Plan (IPP) is a planning tool that students use as they proceed through school towards their initial post-secondary destination.
All students in grades 7 to 12 will have a web-based IPP which they will review and revise at least twice a year.
Your IPP will be stored and kept up to date throughout the years by using the web-based My Pathway Planner tool. You can access the tool from your school webpage or through the Online Student Tools button on the YRDSB homepage.
No. The program is web-based. You can access your IPP from any computer or digital device.
Yes, you can access your IPP wherever you have internet access. You can update and revise your IPP as often as you wish.
When you log on to your My Pathway Planner, you will be able to select a number of different options to explore. All information will be saved for future revision and reflection.
You will receive IPP information at your school.
You will access your IPP at least twice a year. You may find that your goals and plans need to be changed as a result of recent accomplishments, new experiences, new knowledge and reflections.