GREEN JOB YOUTH SPOTLIGHTS
From Sawmills to the Healthcare Frontline: Using Transferrable Skills for NursingSeptember 24, 2020 Mackenzie Kronemeyer checking that equipment has been properly shut down during one of her custodial shifts in Canfor’s Houston, B.C. mill. By 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 second year at the College of New Caledonia’s collaborative program with the University of Northern British Columbia. Sustainable forest products This summer, I’m lucky to be back working full-time at the Canfor mill in Houston, B.C., which is about 300 kilometres east of Prince Rupert. Canfor is an SFI-certified organization, and the mill produces superior SPF (spruce-pine-fir) lumber from sustainably managed forestlands. The mill also converts sawmill residues into sustainable wood pellets. This reduces waste and creates a green energy source. The industrial-grade fuel pellets provide clean biomass energy to customers in Europe, North America, and Asia. The pellet facility in Houston, B.C., — owned and operated in partnership with Pinnacle Pellet and the Moricetown Indian Band — produces 217,000 tons of industrial wood pellets annually. COVID-19 set the schedule I was originally supposed to start work at the end of April. Then I was informed mid-April that start-up would be delayed until May 7, and then it was delayed again until May 25 because of COVID-19. I feel really fortunate that I started back May 25. I have a great job when other young people I know are struggling to find work and keep busy this summer. Plus, I’m making $29 an hour, which is great pay! Transitioning to nursing from a green job I spend a lot of time thinking of frontline workers like nurses during these tough times. My work at Canfor involves a lot of cleaning and locking down equipment to make sure everything is safe. It helps me imagine what my future as a nurse might look like. The teamwork aspect of working at Canfor is also great. I work with a group of people I went to high school with, and it makes things fun because we can joke around with each other but also know each other so well that we have a high level of trust. That team feel and knowing you have to rely on others to do their jobs seems like a natural fit for what nursing will be like. It just goes to show that career paths aren’t linear. You can learn really useful things wherever you go, as long as you work hard and keep an open mind. I’m looking forward to using some of the skills I’ve learned in my green job as I get ready for my career as a nurse. PLT Canada’s Green Jobs program is supported in large part by our employer networks at the Canadian Parks Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Check out the PLT Canada Mentorship Program for Youth in Forestry and Conservation and PLT Canada’s Green Jobs E-Summits. PLT Canada is an initiative of SFI.
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A NEED FOR SPEED AND BEING OUTDOORSBy 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…
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… |
