Environmental technicians provide an important service to society by helping protect and sustain the long-term health of our ecosystems. This two-year diploma program will prepare students for technical work in the environmental sector.
What to expect from the program
Students will gain the practical knowledge and skills needed to offer professional advice on a wide range of subjects, including: environmental management and associated challenges and opportunities, environmental impact assessment; hazardous and non-hazardous waste management; waste reduction and reuse strategies; air, soil, and water pollution prevention and monitoring; wildlife monitoring, soils and ecosite descriptions, compliance auditing; and contaminated site investigation and remediation.
This skill set is based on an integrated, hands-on training program that gives graduates a good working knowledge of physical and life sciences, including general biology, ecology, physics, and statistics.
The program includes hands-on training in both laboratory and field settings. This includes a residential field school in the 3rd term of the program.
Students will also have the option of taking part in a co-operative work term.
Graduate with experience
NorQuest College believes in the importance of on-the-job experience that provides an enriched learning opportunity.
This program includes an optional co-op placement of 600 hours.
Career opportunities
Successful completion of the program prepares graduates for employment at the technology level within consulting firms, government, and industry, with excellent potential for upward mobility as job experience grows.
A majority of graduates will enter the workforce as environmental technicians/technologists or environmental scientists at consulting firms servicing the environmental industry or government agencies. In this capacity, graduates can expect to work as a field technician, collecting field data, assisting in environmental assessment and monitoring, and assisting in technical report writing.
A list of potential job titles in the environmental field include:
- environmental advisor
- environmental auditor
- environmental consultant
- environmental coordinator
- environmental monitor
- environmental scientist
- environmental specialist
- environmental technician
- field technician
Environmental Technician graduates may also choose to be self-employed and work as contractors or sub-consultants. Contractors and sub-consultants work in a variety of capacities, contracting their services to large industrial clients, agricultural producers, government agencies, and consulting firms.
Some graduates may choose to continue their studies and pursue a Bachelor’s degree upon completion of their Environmental Technician diploma. These graduates may embark on similar career paths to those outlined above, or choose a career in academia by continuing their studies into university and other college programs.
The program will undertake an accreditation process that may allow graduates to apply for professional designation depending on their career goals and professional experience.
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