THUNDER BAY -- Forty years ago David Cleaveley was graduating from the youth training program offered by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The lessons learned in that opportunity prepared the Northwest district fire response and operations manager for a long career and said it’s something all interested youth should consider.
Natural Resources Minister Bill Mauro held a media conference on Friday announcing the opening of 1,900 youth job opportunities in natural resource management, with 840 of those in Northern Ontario.
“It gives you some real life experiences. You get some extra training in leadership and supervision, in safety and all the skills that make you marketable when you move on to another job or career,” Cleaveley said.
“They often move on to longer term seasonal jobs like in our fire program and the training continues.”
Cleaveley said his daughter and son are also both graduates of the ministry’s youth training programs.
There are four different types of openings available, which are available to ages 15 to 24.
The youth programs are a cornerstone of the ministry.
“There’s really something very different that happens to people who work and come through this ministry. There is a passion and love for the work they do,” Mauro said.
“I think it’s something with being outdoors, on the land and having great mentorship opportunities.”
The four offerings are the stewardship youth ranger program, summer employment opportunities program, Aboriginal youth work exchange program and the First Nations natural resources youth employment program.
The stewardship youth ranger program, which is an eight-week opportunity open to high school students, replaced the former Ontario ranger program.
Mauro said the relaunch helps modernize the program.
“It provides real opportunities for the people who are in that particular program to gain skills and those same work experiences that were available to them,” he said.
“We have issues related to invasive species and stewardship work is becoming more important than ever.”
More information about the opportunities can be found online.
