The Ontario government is supporting training opportunities for young professionals at a southwestern Ontario Conservation Authority. Through the government’s Skills Development Program, $172,000 has been provided to the Strathroy-based St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) to support three employment opportunities that will provide young professionals the chance to enhance their skills, expertise, confidence, and employability in the environmental field.

“I have the education,” said Krista Nicolson, Species at Risk Technician at the SCRCA and one of the successful candidates who will benefit from the funding, “And thanks to this funding program, I’ll be able to gain valuable hands-on, work experience while learning from the experienced and seasoned staff at the SCRCA.”

Specifically, the funding will provide budding biologists the opportunity to build important skills while working in one of the most biodiverse watersheds in the country. The Authority’s Biology team completes a suite of monitoring work annually to assess local water quality and report on the population dynamics of species at risk and invasive species, such as the endangered Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle and invasive Round Goby.

“The knowledge these young biologists will gain by working in local rivers such as the Sydenham can’t be emphasized enough,” said Erin Carroll, Director of Biology at the SCRCA, “Our local fish, freshwater mussel, and reptile populations are so unique and diverse. I hope at the end of their placement with us, the participants will have enhanced their technical and scientific skills to further their career in the conservation field.”

The funding will also support professional development opportunities for each of the three candidates such as courses and workshops held by other industry professionals.

Successful candidates hired by the Authority through the Skills Development Fund will be major contributors to several of the SCRCA’s biological programs, including:

• • • Endangered Spiny Softshell Turtle Captive Hatch and Release Program,
    • Water quality monitoring program,
    • Benthic invertebrate monitoring program,
    • Freshwater mussel and fish monitoring program, and
    • Outreach events.

About the Skills Development Fund:

Ontario’s Skills Development Fund, a more than $200 million initiative, offers funding to organizations for innovative, market-driven solutions that address challenges to hiring, training, or retaining workers. These programs connect job seekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home.