ECO Canada launches a new transitioning project
May 6, 2009 - With the onset of a potentially lengthy recession, many Canadians are worried about what the future holds. Environmental Careers Organization Canada is working hard to mitigate these concerns by identifying creative ways to assist those who want to become a part of the environmental sector.
Currently ECO Canada has programs to assist Youth, Aboriginals and Immigrants who are interested in entering into environmental fields of work. Canada’s sector council for environmental human resources has now expanded to provide support for transitioning workers through their Environmental Career Transition Project (ECTP).
ECTP’s purpose is to support qualified professionals who are unemployed or underemployed and would like to transition from another industry into an environmental career. Currently ECTP is a pilot project aimed at creating best practices for transitioning into the environmental sector by placing a group of transitioned individuals in environmental occupations.
Research shows that since environmental organizations deal with large scale, complex issues they require a wide range of skill sets translating into plenty of diverse job opportunities. According ECO Canada’s Environmental Labor Insights 2008 study on employer perspectives, one of the skills sets that is in highest demand is project management.
The Environmental Career Transition Project (ECTP) is recruiting for 6 more transitioning worker internships. Participants at this stage will be helping to develop a national framework to help workers from declining sectors find long-term meaningful employment in the environmental industry.
