Green Job Youth Spotlights

By 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…

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Baker 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…

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By 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…

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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…

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By Brennan Gow One of the things I appreciate about working in the forest is the chance to see wildlife in its natural habitat. In May 2019 alone, I saw 20 black bears and 11 grizzlies while working as a Field Operations Assistant for Canfor, an SFI-certified organization, in Fort St. John, in northeastern B.C. But on a day off from work last spring, things got a little more real than I could have imagined. I was hiking along a riverbank…

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By Sean Larsen I’ve always wondered how to combine my passion for the environment with a possible career. For example, I often think about buying land and moving to northern B.C. There, I would be able to grow trees and mixed crops and raise animals (a practice called agroforestry) to enhance food security in nearby communities. Community forests support sustainability I’m currently working with the Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society as a summer student, which is awesome. The organization…

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Morgan Conrad is a Wildlife Research Assistant at Chuzghun Resources Corporation in British Columbia. Part of his work includes live capture and release of animals like this lynx. By Morgan Conrad The feeling of holding a live lynx in my arms will stay with me forever. I’m still blown away by the experience and the fact that it happened as part of my job makes it even more special. While working with a veterinarian to examine and tag a lynx…

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By Will Vukovic It feels like my whole family is part of the forest sector. My dad is a forester, my mum worked as one, and I have an uncle who works for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Their careers are a big part of why I pursued a Forestry Technology diploma from Vancouver Island University. Through them, I saw how hard people in the sector have worked to put environmental responsibility at the heart of the…

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By Nicole Mylnikov Getting kids excited about the natural world around them was one of the best parts of my Green Job. At the core of the Evans Lake Youth Camp is our Eco-Fun outdoor education program. The Evans Lake Forest Education Society is a not for profit charity (and former SFI Community Grant recipient) with the mandate to offer forest education programs for children and youth. Learning about the wonders of the forest Working as a camp counsellor, I…

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As an avid outdoor enthusiast, André Killeen was thrilled to spend his summer on Big Rideau Lake near Ottawa as a Research Assistant for Carleton University, where he is completing an Environmental Science degree. André has always loved being in nature, having spent his childhood camping and fishing with his friends and family. It is his love for being outside that inspired him to get a green job. “I wanted a meaningful job that reflected my own values and allowed…

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By Calli Burke My dream job is to work in environmental law enforcement. I’ve always wanted to work outdoors, and I really enjoyed the work I did supporting conservation officers and the police last summer. My green job was with Kawartha Conservation, based out of Lindsay, Ontario, which is about 120 kilometres northeast of Toronto. Kawartha Conservation manages five conservation areas – natural areas that provide important watershed management services, and recreational and educational opportunities for families and youth. One…

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By Edward Lau and Duncan MacRae, PLT Canada Green Jobs Youth We knew we would be wowed by the natural beauty of our province when we got hired by the B.C. Council of Forest Industries (COFI) last summer. Our job was to produce videos for the forest sector but our actual experience once we got out there put all our expectations to shame. We were blown away by the beauty of our forests and how vibrant and diverse the sector…

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“Our urban populations are growing and at the same time climate change is intensifying, which could turn cities into urban heat islands that demand more and more energy for cooling. The good news is that large, healthy urban forests can be part of the solution,” says Cindy Zhaohua, an Urban Forestry Engagement Coordinator at the University of British Columbia, which is a Green Jobs employer within the Sustainable Forestry Initiative network. Cindy is passionate about engaging communities and youth for…

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“I felt like the universe was speaking to me,” Danielle Ince laughs. A Green Jobs youth working as a Beluga Whale Research Associate with the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Churchill, Manitoba, you can tell she is over the moon to be doing research on one of Canada’s most iconic mammals, the beluga whale. “I’ve always loved animals, and while looking for a master’s program, I knew I wanted to focus on that. When I found this program, I felt like…

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Going for a walk in the woods can seem like the most natural thing in the world for many Canadians. But for over 6 million Canadians with a disability, experiencing the outdoors might not be so easy. Access to some of Nova Scotia’s more beautiful natural spaces could soon improve thanks to Logan MacDonald’s accessibility audits for the province’s Department of Lands and Forestry. “It was awesome to travel around the entire province this summer working on a project that will…

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“After spending a whole day in the forest, these kids leave with a real idea of what forest restoration looks like,” says Syd Welsh. “Giving them a positive experience helps counter a lot of the negativity about the environment. It’s easy to think that our problems are too big to fix.” Syd spent the summer working outdoors as an Environmental Educator for the Galiano Conservancy Association. Its mission is to preserve, protect, and enhance the quality of the human and…

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“So many kids are out of touch with nature. But once you get them outdoors, even the ones who are ‘too cool for school’ love exploring the natural world,” says Kyra Burkart. She worked as a Forest and Wetland Outdoor educator in a two-month spring program aimed at students from grades four to 12 in Alberta. Kyra credits taking a “seeing your curriculum in the real world” approach with capturing kids’ attention. At the Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, an…

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“I love being outside and I love talking to people. Helping someone understand the importance of bees and butterflies or how to help an endangered turtle safely cross the road is an awesome feeling,” says Ellie Anderson, an Education and Outreach Technician with Lower Trent Region Conservation. Her work encourages environmental stewardship among area kids, youth, and adults. Ellie designs and delivers programming ranging from games focused on conserving pollinators to displays and booths at local events. Ellie and her…

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