Shane Hedderson, a recent Environment and Business graduate landed his first job out of university at CleanFARMS in Etobicoke. He speaks of how his experiences in the classroom and through co-op have helped secure a job directly relating to his studies in undergrad. For more on Shane's experiences, read the interview below.
1. Tell us what your company does and why you chose to work for them.
CleanFARMS is a national not-for-profit product stewardship organization specializing in the responsible management of agricultural waste plastics and packaging. CleanFARMS runs various programs to collect and recycle empty pesticide containers, obsolete pesticides, and other agricultural plastic products.We have a wide range of stakeholders, which include manufacturers, distributors, retailers of crop protection products, farmers, and government agencies across the country.
I chose to work for CleanFARMS because the product stewardship industry aligned perfectly with my studies in Environment and Business and my previous experiences through co-op.
2. In your current role, what gets you excited on a regular basis (aka. what gets you out of bed and looking forward to work each day?)
CleanFARMS is a very small organization, so every day presents new challenges and opportunities. Improving the environmental impact of the agricultural industry is also a plus.
3. Is there anything particularly challenging about your job?
The fact that product stewardship and extended producer responsibility in agriculture is a rapidly growing field, stewardship regulation in each province is changing quickly, so it really keeps us on our toes.
4. How well did your university experience prepare you for this career?
With my degree in Environment and Business and my experience through co-op, I don’t think I could have been better prepared for my career with a product stewardship organization. My studies were directly related to this type of work and I was able to gain practical experience in waste management and product stewardship at a few of my placements. Having my final placement with CleanFARMS also helped.
5. What piece of advice would you give a student wishing to take a similar career path?
Aim to gain a wide range of experiences, both in the classroom and through co-op, rather than only seeking experience in one narrow stream. Everything is related in unexpected ways, and a breadth of knowledge and experiences provides an unconventional perspective for problem solving.
6. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I would say that I am most proud of the fact that I was able to secure a job right out of university in a field that I enjoy, and that is completely related to my degree. I know that it is a tough job market for recent grads, especially for finding something directly related to our respective fields.