For Hannah Grisdale, working as a sustainability project assistant for the City of Sault Ste Marie was more than just a summer job: it showed her that she was on the right professional path and laid the groundwork for a successful future career in sustainability.
“I wasn’t 100 percent sure [what I wanted to do] before, but after doing this job, I saw that I could do this as a career,” says Grisdale, an environmental studies student at Carleton University. “This was the perfect opportunity for me.”
Grisdale was able to gain this valuable on-the-job experience for the first time through the CPRA Green Jobs Initiative, which is funded by the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Skills Strategy program.
As a sustainability project assistant, Grisdale performed a variety of tasks. In addition to learning Excel, writing skills and conducting research projects on invasive species, she also worked at the city’s Ermatinger Old Stone House – a National Historic Site of Canada that was built between 1814 and 1823 and serves as the oldest surviving house in northeastern Ontario. There, she gardened and helped run children’s programming on weekends.
Grisdale also gained experience working with officials at city hall, and was involved with the community’s Yellow Fish Road program – a national program that involves painting yellow fish near storm drains to raise awareness about stormwater pollution.
“I was really grateful that I got this job and had this opportunity to work with all these people,” she says. “Working at the Old Stone House provided me an opportunity to work with another community of people. I really was everywhere.”
Emily Cormier, sustainability coordinator at the City of Sault Ste Marie, worked closely with Grisdale as her supervisor. She says that the medium-sized municipality has a vast sustainability portfolio, and that young employees like Grisdale often get unique opportunities to learn a wide range of skills on the job.
“Summer students are rarely bored,” she says. “They work on a lot of different initiatives, and the Green Jobs program certainly gave us the ability to do more over the course of Hannah’s placement.”
Cormier says Grisdale brought her educational background to the role, but also an enthusiasm to learn new skills that she can add to her resume when she begins her job search.
“She was always willing to try new things, even if it might be outside her comfort zone, and ask questions and go to different meetings,” Cormier says. “She supported many projects, and we were very impressed with her work.”
She adds that working for a municipality is great experience for youth like Grisdale, particularly in the sustainability space.
“You wear a lot of hats, and you work on a lot of different initiatives – everything from Excel-based work to community engagement to working with youth education and awareness research. These skills will certainly help Hannah as she finds her way in her future career.”
Grisdale’s experience is exactly what the CPRA Green Jobs Initiative aims to provide—meaningful, hands-on opportunities that empower youth to develop critical skills, gain confidence, and explore careers in sustainability. With newfound clarity about her professional path and a wealth of practical experience, she feels better prepared for the future.
“This job really solidified my passion for sustainability,” she says. “I know this is what I want to do.”
For municipalities like Sault Ste. Marie, the program is equally valuable, helping to build the next generation of environmental leaders while expanding capacity for important sustainability initiatives.