In SERS, we are committed to getting you ‘future-ready’ with a wide range of skills and competencies you’ll need for an environmental career with purpose and impact.
SERS students and graduates work within, between and across scientific disciplines and ways of knowing. That’s crucial - the future of work is changing quickly and environmental challenges are complex.
Follow our example guided career pathways to see some of the skills you will develop and professional careers that are available. We can also support your interests and help you craft your own exciting academic pathway.
Build a pathway that connects your interest in nature, people and policy. Combine field skills with interdisciplinary perspectives about biodiversity conservation. Complete your path with an applied research project that gets you ready for a meaningful career protecting our planet.
What is a sustainable energy future? How can we adress climate change? Build a pathway that combines knowledge of energy transitions (e.g., policies, markets, social change) and foundations in climate change mitigation. Use your skills to assess low carbon transitions or the ecological consequences of climate change, and complete your path with a career-focused research project!
Do you have a passion for food systems sustainability and agriculture? Blend policy, ecological and health perspectives to understand the cutting-edge strategies we need to sustainably feed the world. Finish your path with a reserach project on agroecosystems, community gardens or food politics to help launch your exciting career.
Passionate about water and sustainable futures? Combine foundational knowledge (e.g., in hydrology, water economics and governance) and field experiences with a portfolio of in-demand skills ranging from data-visualization to policy analysis. Complete your path with a challenge-driven reserach project and join the next generation of water leaders!
Skills
Here are just some of the career-building skills you can develop by following these pathways, taking additional electives, and adding credentials:
- Foundational knowledge across a wide range of environmental and sustainability issues
- Familiarity with environmental legislation and policy trends
- Research, analysis and evidence-based thinking
- Qualitative and quantitative data analysis (including data visualization and “R”)
- Strong technical report writing, presentation and ‘story-telling’ skills
- Stakeholder engagement and relationship management
- Field survey techniques, as well as plant/animal field identification
- Systems mapping and project management skills
You’ll also have the opportunity to receive career-specific training through a wide range of in-class experiential and field course opportunities, and UWaterloo’s world leading co-op (paid internship) program - a great way to build career experience and make money at the same time.
And you’ll have ample flexibility in your program to add skills-focused diplomas and minors, including our diplomas in Knowledge Integration, Environmental Assessment, and Ecological Restoration and Rehabilitation, as well as a minor in Parks.
Careers
You’ll find SERS alumni in a wide and expanding range of meaningful environmental careers… careers that make a difference to people and our planet. Examples of these career trajectories include:
- Sustainability/natural resource policy, climate and energy analysts (e.g., for government agencies like the Canada Water Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada)
- Conservation managers, including park ecologists and wardens
- Environmental and social impact assessment specialists
- Stakeholder engagement / community participation specialists and community development coordinators (e.g., community garden coordinator)
- Conservation and restoration technicians
- Applied ecologists (e.g., for consulting engineering firms) or environmental consultants
- Wildlife or fisheries manager (e.g., for conservation organizations or governments like Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
- Primary and secondary school teachers (and university professors)
- Environmental lawyers and dispute resolution specialists
- Environmental and sustainability entrepreneurs and green technology consultants
Jump start or amplify your career planning, and make the links to your SERS degree. Visit the co-op resource pages and take advantage of JADA (Waterloo’s innovative AI-powered Job Aggregator and Digital Assistant). Make an appointment with the Centre for Career Development and get support to build the resumé and interviewing skills that help you communicate your strengths.
Explore the many environment-specific resources with UWaterloo partner, EcoCanada. You’ll find ways to extend your training and career-readiness through additional certification programs, as well as the EcoCanada Jobs Board. A few clicks will get you on your way!
And check out these recent SERS graduates to get a sense of what some of our students are accomplishing, and where they are working.