To any kids thinking about becoming fish and wildlife officers - Page 2

Lefty-Canuck · #31 09-10-2011, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

most people that go into fish and wildlife or any related field dont like the oil rig damging enviroment jobs.

I think you may have contracted the rare but highly deadly "foot in mouth " disease....sadly there is a low survival rate....

LC

Scott N · #32 09-10-2011, 07:32 PM

It's a tough job to get. The truth is that the course is tough, the jobs are few (and always have been), and the competition for them is high. Not too many guys who complete the course actually get CO positions.

LongBomber · #33 09-10-2011, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hl649

I used to sit on the LCC Envi. Sci. review committee. We met once a year with representatives of the industry both government and private. I was there as a past graduate and represented DFO. The goals of future employers were put on the table and the the program was adjusted to meet those needs.

This is one of the reasons that LCC has the top rated Envi Sci program in Alberta and probably Western Canada. The program is hard but it is worth it. Any secondary education is going to be a lot harder than high school no matter what program you enroll in.

The answer is STUDY, STUDY and then STUDY some more...

That's funny, I supervised forestry crews for the last 15 years and most of the guys coming from LCC were the least prepared for a job in forestry, which is where many end up. It was like hiring a high school student, only one that thought he knew everything. Some of the guys could hardly do simple math or use a compass/clino. Most were lucky to have a few plant names figured out. I know that I am not the only one that has been left wanting in what the grads bring to the table. I can see how a steering committee could go wrong, I am betting that the committee would go to a high level manager and not anywhere near where the grad would actually end up.

To the OP, you could finish the program, but know that most of the grads end up working in the forest industry and make crap wages, around $39g a year for 5 day weeks/12 hour days.

Killerb · #34 09-10-2011, 08:21 PM

Post secondary education should need 100%. Maybe its hard for you because you have lost interest in it. When people do things they love, their attention span is like tripled.
My photography for example. I tried to teach others about aperture, shutter speed and iso correlation and they just go glazy eyed. But I can sit for hours reading a manual for a brand new camera.

BGSH · #35 09-10-2011, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

I think you may have contracted the rare but highly deadly "foot in mouth " disease....sadly there is a low survival rate....

LC

thats not nice

BallCoeff.435 · #36 09-10-2011, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killerb

Post secondary education should need 100%. Maybe its hard for you because you have lost interest in it. When people do things they love, their attention span is like tripled.
My photography for example. I tried to teach others about aperture, shutter speed and iso correlation and they just go glazy eyed. But I can sit for hours reading a manual for a brand new camera.

The other side of that coin is that if you get interested in a course, you could tangent off into some other direction than that which the prof is personally interested in, and/or which will be tested on exams. Letting yourself get sucked into material that is substantially more difficult and involved than what is required, at the expense of tested material or other courses, will endanger your grades and your own health.

For example, chasing graduate-level systems control concepts for nuclear reactors, or the theory of interactions of subatomic particles when all you are supposed to do is finish a lab measuring power consumption of LED taillights.

That becomes suicidal and will suck away your time and energy when you need those the most. Which is absurd because a lot of time the main reason for taking a program in the first place is interest and the quest for knowledge.

One of the advantages of a good engineering program is that it is strictly governed and audited by accreditation councils, and offers well-defined electives that contribute to your program. So you don't get blindsided, or (hopefully) don't get stuck with a bad prof, or get stuck with too much material you consider bizarre and pointless.

IR_mike · #37 09-10-2011, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

I think you may have contracted the rare but highly deadly "foot in mouth " disease....sadly there is a low survival rate....

LC

I dont know LC...

After the second semester in 06 before the summer break I was told by a union rep to canvas some of my college classmates if they were interested in a 6 day a week pipeline job 40 min north of edmonton with a weekly take home of 2400$ a week.

NO takers....most responded with "isn't that hard work?"

People who always complained about not haveing enough cash (a good portion of the class) seemed unwilling to work for it.

Dureing year end april field trips instructors had a hard time getting some students off the bus as they did not have the common sense to dress for your typical AB april day.

It would boggle your mind.

Lefty-Canuck · #38 09-10-2011, 09:40 PM

Oh maybe I misunderstood.... I took BGSH comments to mean the people who are in F&W are against the oil field industry and do not like the damage (or perceived damage) they do to the environment.......not that the people who go into those programs are wussies when it comes to hard work....

For the record I took a similar program and I can work pretty darn hard

LC

gatorhunter · #39 09-10-2011, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hl649

I used to sit on the LCC Envi. Sci. review committee. We met once a year with representatives of the industry both government and private. I was there as a past graduate and represented DFO. The goals of future employers were put on the table and the the program was adjusted to meet those needs.

This is one of the reasons that LCC has the top rated Envi Sci program in Alberta and probably Western Canada. The program is hard but it is worth it. Any secondary education is going to be a lot harder than high school no matter what program you enroll in.

The answer is STUDY, STUDY and then STUDY some more...

Correction! The best program in Canada! That's why students come from all over Canada. Every Province and Territory employs graduates of the Conservation Enforcement program at Lethbridge College.

As for employment opportunities, the Western Academy has been training 15 to 20 recruits per year for the past 3 years. Another class starts in January 2012.

The program is tough! So what? I left Manitoba 2 months after grade 12 graduation and moved to Alberta. I had nothing and nobody but I knew that my career depended on me getting my diploma from LCC. I never missed a class and I didn't miss too many parties either. There was a time for each and I learned what they were pretty early.

There were definitely some courses that had absolutely no value to my career but that is the case with every program in every post secondary educational facility. I learned latin names of birds, fish, animals and plants. I still use them 32 years later.

My 2 years at LCC were the best two years of my life, bar none! I learned a ton of stuff, made life long friends, saw some tremendous country and grew up!

So to any kids thinking about becoming fish and wildlife officers, DO IT!

IR_mike · #40 09-10-2011, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Oh maybe I misunderstood.... I took BGSH comments to mean the people who are in F&W are against the oil field industry and do not like the damage (or perceived damage) they do to the environment.......not that the people who go into those programs are wussies when it comes to hard work....

For the record I took a similar program and I can work pretty darn hard

LC

Ya I guess it did not address bests statement, but the work ethic demonstrated by a large number of students (field trips/group projects) was sickening.

Kale_M · #41 09-10-2011, 10:20 PM

I took the CJ course at LCC. My roomates took the CO program there as well. One of them is now a CO in Manitoba. He loves it! Before that he was a environmental protection officer in Fort Mac (invesigating oil rigs when they kill all the ducks in the pond kinda stuff)

I am now a Peace Officer with Alberta Health Services. I loved the CJ course at LCC and it taught me alot of things I use on the job today.

I would not get to worked up over the first little bit of your CO course, you just started! I would stick it out for a bit as you get into the more work oriented stuff in a bit.

BGSH · #42 09-10-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kale_M

I took the CJ course at LCC. My roomates took the CO program there as well. One of them is now a CO in Manitoba. He loves it! Before that he was a environmental protection officer in Fort Mac (invesigating oil rigs when they kill all the ducks in the pond kinda stuff)

I am now a Peace Officer with Alberta Health Services. I loved the CJ course at LCC and it taught me alot of things I use on the job today.

I would not get to worked up over the first little bit of your CO course, you just started! I would stick it out for a bit as you get into the more work oriented stuff in a bit.

You must see alot of stuff as a peace officer with ab health service, i could only imagine.

Kale_M · #43 09-10-2011, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

You must see alot of stuff as a peace officer with ab health service, i could only imagine.

yes we do. Some very crazy stuff. Some very sad stuff

SonnyJ · #44 09-10-2011, 10:53 PM

Fort Mac + GED = $150,000 per year..lol

BGSH · #45 09-10-2011, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonnyJ

Fort Mac + GED = $150,000 per year..lol

Its not all about the money buddy, for some people have familys and young children they would not want to leave them behind for two weeks at a time so i am very happy with be making what i make and be close to my parents

SonnyJ · #46 09-10-2011, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

Its not all about the money buddy, for some people have familys and young children they would not want to leave them behind for two weeks at a time so i am very happy with be making what i make and be close to my parents

True enough...it's not for everyone.

Kale_M · #47 09-10-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonnyJ

Fort Mac + GED = $150,000 per year..lol

but you have to live in fort mac...

SonnyJ · #48 09-10-2011, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kale_M

but you have to live in fort mac...

Ahmm.....no..lol

Ever hear of commuting?

I work six days on six days off...works for me..

BGSH · #49 09-10-2011, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonnyJ

Ahmm.....no..lol

Ever hear of commuting?

I work six days on six days off...works for me..

oh you make 150 thousand plus?, thats why your so cocky, go figure

SonnyJ · #50 09-10-2011, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

oh you make 150 thousand plus?, thats why your so cocky, go figure

Didn't mean to sound cocky...I didn't think I did but anyhoo..

I was just offering the OP an alternate choice..

Is that ok with you?

Kale_M · #51 09-10-2011, 11:50 PM

I make $38/hr with my shift diff, work 4 on 4 off and my commute is 15 min round trip and i get to see the ones I love everyday...I win

SonnyJ · #52 09-10-2011, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kale_M

I make $38/hr with my shift diff, work 4 on 4 off and my commute is 15 min round trip and i get to see the ones I love everyday...I win

Plus you have loads of hunting and fishing time...right on..

BGSH · #53 09-11-2011, 12:03 AM

lol, 38 an hour 15 minutes from home, you got it made, trust me, i work a forklift and its boring and i wanna fall asleep half the time, i need to get going on this f&w or move on from forking.

solocam · #54 09-11-2011, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

most people that go into fish and wildlife or any related field dont like the oil rig damging enviroment jobs.

Where did u dig up those stats ?

Redfrog · #55 09-11-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kale_M

yes we do. Some very crazy stuff. Some very sad stuff

What does a peace officer do with Ab health?

sendero · #56 09-11-2011, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

lol, 38 an hour 15 minutes from home, you got it made, trust me, i work a forklift and its boring and i wanna fall asleep half the time, i need to get going on this f&w or move on from forking.

thought you were already enrolled to start school in Lethbridge in January?

Sushi · #57 09-11-2011, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best guide shawn homeniuk

most people that go into fish and wildlife or any related field dont like the oil rig damging enviroment jobs.

Hey Best Guide..always great to hear from a guy who wears his heart on his sleeves. You are partially correct in your statement but typically most regulatory folks prefer to look at things from a balanced perspective. I've met with many from DFO, ASRD, Env Canada, AB Environment (AENV), etc at various oil spill sites, oilfield construction related disturbances like ROWs etc, and mine sites, etc and they actually do sometimes lament the disturbance to nature. Most do agree, however, that it is a necessary thing and that having a healthy economy combined with fairly stringent rules is the best we can do to minimize the effects of fragmentation, contamination, etc. Certainly that's my approach as well and all of our O&G activity keeps me employed and allows me to have a part in 'making things right'. Keep well and keep your heart in it Shawn!

Kale_M · #58 09-11-2011, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redfrog

What does a peace officer do with Ab health?

we have peace officers and contract security (Paladin) in the hospitals. The peace officers are more highly trained and experianced. We are trained in control tactics and different law courses. We carry batons and cuffs. Level 1 peace officers are trained with OC spray but AHS will not allow us to carry it in the hospitals (yet)

we enforce provincial stautes (tabacco reduction act, Gaming and liquor act, Tresspass to premises act, Mental health act, non-moving traffic violations. Etc.)

we have the ability to place people who we feel are suffering from a mental illness or are suicial under a mental health certification and detain them at the hospital for an evaluation (same as a police officer)

We get alot of arrets due to drugs, theft, assualts. We assist social services in apprehending children from their not so good parents.

We assist nursing staff with patients on mental health units who have treatment orders.

We get in mental health patients in from the police offices who are sucidal , high on drugs and alcohol and are extremley violent and unpredicatble.

It is a great job. It can go from nothing to 100 mph pretty quick.

I have been at it for almost 5 years and it is a great job. You really get to see the side of the hospital that alot of people don't realize is there...

Redfrog · #59 09-11-2011, 09:12 AM

Thanks for the info.

outwalking · #60 09-11-2011, 09:20 AM

Interesting.

I run a business. I suggest no one else do it. I have to balance my books, fight for money, manage employees, look for work, remit to the government...and I don't see the point of that. Why can't it just be easy, so I can roll in my glory? Why should I even bother? I can just...open a new business and it'll be just exactly how I want it to be, and I won't have to do anything I don't feel like doing. I don't feel like I should have balance books, I don't feel that I should have to manage employees. Why is that stuff even necessary? Oh yeah, because that's the way the cookie crumbles!

Like, whaaaat!? You don't like your course, go ahead, switch to something that someone else likes. It's like, because you did so well in high school, you're expecting to excel eveywhere else too...and you're already setting yourself up for failure if you think that way.

I don't get it. You don't care to learn the latin names...so what? It's relevent to the job you (thought you) wanted to do, so why not learn it? The distaste of latin names is going to steer you away from what you always thought you wanted?