A new College of New Caledonia program is raising hopes for youth hoping to build a career in green industries.
The college opened its doors Wednesday to high school students interested in the natural resource and environmental technology program.
"I fully expect that all students and graduates will have job offers before they complete classes this spring," said program instructor Ed Morrice.
The two-hour event was a way for the students to get a hands-on idea of what they would be in for if they enroll in the program - from soil analysis and texturing for component structure of sand to making water go further during fire suppression to analyzing owl regurgitation.
Graduates can look forward to "on the ground" jobs collecting data, summarizing and analyzing, reporting results and implementing and enforcing environmental standards for forestry, mining, oil and gas and other companies.
Their diploma, the result of a two-year-program, is recognized by the Association of B.C. Forest Professionals, so graduates can be registered as professional forest technologists.
The program's first class of students will graduate in May.
