From monitoring water quality to Conservation Area maintenance and teaching visitors about local biodiversity, 13 summer students, through the Canada Summer Jobs program, are helping the Raisin Region Conservation Authority (RRCA) deliver its programs and services while gaining valuable on-the-job experience.
Ashley MacCrimmon is one of them. An environmental technician graduate from St. Lawrence College in Cornwall, she is currently working as the RRCA’s Nature Interpreter at the Cooper Marsh Visitors Centre.
“I really enjoy interacting with visitors, answering their questions about Cooper Marsh Conservation Area, and sharing my enthusiasm for all the bird species that can be found here,” she says. “The RRCA staff are also wonderful to work with.”
MacCrimmon, who plans on pursuing a teaching degree, credits her summer position with the RRCA for helping to improve her communication skills.
“I have definitely become more confident, especially when speaking French.”
For Andreas Haramis, who will be starting his fourth year as a mechanical engineering student at Queen’s University, spending his summer working as the RRCA’s Planning Assistant is exposing him to valuable knowledge and skills.
“Whenever I’m assisting the various members of the Watershed Management team, I’m absorbing so much about flooding, dams, water quality monitoring, GIS (geographic information system) mapping, and a lot more,” he says.
Haramis is eyeing a career in the environmental field after he finishes his studies. His summer with the RRCA is presenting him with a better understanding of the role Conservation Authorities play in protecting and enhancing the local environment.
“It’s great to have an environmental organization that’s community-based, where local knowledge is paired with conservation expertise.”
Secondary and post-secondary students interested in applying for a summer position with the RRCA next year are encouraged to check the RRCA’s social media and website at rrca.on.ca, where summer employment opportunities will be posted in the new year.
For more information, visit rrca.on.ca or contact (613) 938-3611 or info@rrca.on.ca.
