What are your areas of practice? What is your expertise?
My area of practice within the scope of agrology is Contaminated Land Assessment, Remediation, and Decommissioning. My expertise is conducting environmental field investigations, collecting and interpreting field data, and collecting soil, water, and air samples for laboratory analysis.
Why did you choose the career you are currently in?
To prepare for my career, I pursued bachelor's degrees in Environmental Geography and Education. Both fields appealed to me because I deem them to be useful, worthwhile, and complimentary. When I graduated, I worked in education as a secondary school teacher, first in England and then in Canada. I really enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from it.
After a couple of years, I was offered a job at a multi-disciplinary consulting engineering firm. Although I hadn't seriously considered leaving teaching, it seemed like a good opportunity. I gave it a go and have never looked back. I have worked as an Engineering Technologist for ten years now, and I find my career to be diverse, challenging, interesting, and fulfilling. I mostly do environmental work now, but I also do some materials testing, and I am a radiation safety officer.
Why did you become a Registrant of BCIA?
I became a Registrant of the BCIA because it was a good fit for my educational background and professional interests. Being a Registrant of the BCIA has encouraged me to be proactive about and reflective about my professional development, and overall, it has facilitated my progression as a self-reliant and technically-proficient environmental professional.
What do you do in a typical work day or week?
I don't really have a 'typical' work day or week. At any given time, I am assigned to many different projects doing many different things. On each project, I apply various technologies, methodologies, approaches to problem-solving, and sets of standards. Generally speaking, I conduct field investigations, collect and interpret field data, collect samples for laboratory analysis and write reports detailing my findings.
Share some interesting "perks" and experiences of your job.
As an Engineering Technologist at a multi-disciplinary consulting engineering firm, I work on a multitude of job sites in collaboration with many highly skilled and experienced people. Inherently, I am given opportunities to gain new skills, knowledge, and insights in my daily professional life. I also get to travel to many remote and beautiful locations on northern Vancouver Island and beyond and play a part in their remediation.
