GREEN JOB YOUTH SPOTLIGHTS
A NEED FOR SPEED AND BEING OUTDOORSOctober 20, 2023
By Emily Prouse Designing and building mountain bike trails as part of my Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) Green Job brought together my passion for the outdoors and my love of biking down mountains. The fact that I got paid to build trails in the beautiful forests outside my hometown of Quesnel, BC, felt like a green “dream” job. It’s the kind of dream scenario that I hope will help motivate my future students when I finish my Bachelor of Education degree. I believe that the more kids understand the limitless possibilities of working outside in a green job, the more motivated they will be to champion and conserve the natural world. Over two summers, I worked with Westroad Resource Consultants, which manages timber harvesting, replanting, and trail building. Westroad is a great organization to work for because they are engaged with the communities where they live and work. Jim Kurta, the founder and owner, is also serious about encouraging more women, youth, and Indigenous staff to consider green careers. Turning a love of the outdoors into a source of creativity I was amazed at the amount of trust and responsibility the Westroad team placed in me, especially in my second summer. Even new staff like me were expected to share our ideas and passion. It’s the kind of atmosphere you dream about when people ask you where you would like to work. I learned how to rely on my time in the forest to help visualize where to build trails. When you spend enough time mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and camping in the woods, you start to understand how to work with the natural features of the landscape to find the best pathways. Encouraging everyone to get outside The other awesome part of PLT Canada Green Job was being with people who just love being in the woods and who want to share that passion. I was blessed to grow up in the interior of BC, where being outside comes naturally. The Westroad team emphasized what we called a “collaborative riding style.” The idea is to build trails that new riders will love, but that also have challenges that experienced riders can choose to keep things exciting. I think that a collaborative attitude can really help uncover ways to get kids to love the outdoors, and I want to carry it with me as I move into a teaching career. I will be graduating with a degree in First Nations Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia in April 2024, and then I’ll be working on a Bachelor of Education degree with a plan to graduate in the summer of 2025. Motivating the next generation to go green for fun and their future I’ve already worked as an educational assistant, and as a ski coach, so I know I love teaching. My goal is to show my students all the different pathways to living a fun, healthy life — and maybe even working outside in a rewarding green career. PLT Canada’s Green Jobs program is supported in large part by our employer networks with the Canadian Parks Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). PLT Canada is an initiative of SFI. | MORE SPOTLIGHTS
Working to Make Ottawa a Greener CityBy Emilie Grenier I’m passionate about everything relating to the outdoors and sustainability. Since my early childhood, growing up outside Montreal, I have spent most of my free time climbing, running, skiing, paddling, and camping. My travels and volunteer work have taken me to the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Asia. Spending time in different natural environments and in the communities that depend on them got me thinking about how I could have a positive impact. Today, I’m mitigating the…
Growing Trees and Helping Ontario Fight Invasive SpeciesBaker Forestry Services is growing a few hundred different species of trees and shrubs, but they all have one important thing in common—they are all native species in Ontario. According to the Government of Ontario, there are about 1,200 alien plant species in the province. These plants were introduced by people into areas beyond their natural range. I was part of a team at Baker Forestry Services that helped grow native trees and shrubs so landowners can support healthy, diverse…
Combining Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science to Teach YouthBy Nicole Boyde I was in high school the first time I had the privilege of learning about the environment from Indigenous Elders. Today, my Green Job gives me the opportunity to continue learning from Elders and to use the insights I’ve gained to expand understanding of the natural world among K-12 students. We work with schools in and around Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia. My role as an Education Assistant with the Chuntoh Education Society takes me…
From Sawmills to the Healthcare Frontline: Using Transferrable Skills for NursingBy Mackenzie Kronemeyer Working weekend nights in a Canfor sawmill and wood pellet plant for the first time while I was in high school gave me confidence that I was cut out for a career in nursing. The night shifts, the teamwork, and the focus on safety at Canfor were challenging but gave me important skills that I knew I would be able to apply once I became a nurse. In the fall, I’ll be back studying nursing for a… |
