When Kevin Jackson graduated from the Environmental Technologist program in 2008 he accepted the role of Operations Supervisor for the Household Hazardous Waste program at Quinte Waste Solutions. This position enabled him to build upon his leadership skills, and helped prepare him for his present position of Team Leader – Hospitality, Environmental Services at Quinte Health Care. “My role is a supervisory one, reporting to the department manager. We have a staff of over one hundred people in both patient and non-patient areas. I’m responsible for managing and coaching the staff, conducting cleanliness audits, waste management and for ensuring patients are portered throughout the hospital in a timely manner.” The skills Kevin learned at Loyalist have proven transferrable time and again and he has found that science and environmental credentials open many doors to exciting career paths.
This year Britney John completed her Environmental studies by choosing a work placement at the Toronto Zoo in the endocrinology and gamete biology labs. “I grew up in Toronto and as a child I often visited the zoo – never dreaming that one day I would be behind the scenes rather than a visiting tourist. During my placement I had the opportunity to observe non-invasive reproductive monitoring in order to determine the biology and stress physiology of an animal. I learned to obtain data through sampling and witnessed dissections. The individuals I worked with were exceptional role models. They were caring, personable, precise and analytical. Their dedication and positive attitude inspired me to work extra hard each day. My Loyalist courses in instrumentation, microbiology, general chemistry and analytical chemistry definitely helped me understand the procedures at the zoo and gave me confidence in that environment.”
There are many fields in which the environmental skill set can be applied. Some graduates pursue sales careers in areas involving water, solar technology or the environment – others obtain administrative positions with municipalities or non-governmental associations – and some are drawn to field positions practicing remediation. The range of opportunity is vast and filled with creative and challenging possibilities. Investigating, consulting, prevention, enforcement, and reduction are just a sampling of the responsibilities that can be found in Loyalist College Environmental graduates’ job descriptions.
Students have the option of completing the two-year Environmental Technician diploma program or continuing their studies for a third year and earning their advanced diploma as an Environmental Technologist. For information about these and other Bioscience programs offered at Loyalist click here.