By: Brian J. Poole, B.Sc., EPt.
Environmental Site Assessor
I was hired on by Watters Environmental Group Inc. back in April of 2013 as a junior environmental site assessor. Having completed my B.Sc., in Environmental Science from McMaster University and a post-graduate certificate in Environmental Management and Assessment from Niagara College, environmental consulting is the profession that I wanted to be in.
Back in May of 2013, I completed my first Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA); a drilling and groundwater sampling program in Alberta. The amount of experience I have gained since that time has been considerable, especially in the relatively short time I have been with the company. I’ve conducted a number of Phase I & II investigations and remediation work all across Ontario, including Goderich, London, Chatham, Milton, Mississauga, and all throughout Toronto and the GTA. I have also been extensively involved with out of province work in Winnipeg, Regina, Yellowknife, Charlottetown, and Ottawa.
Of course I learned a lot in school that helped prepare myself for work in the environmental consulting industry: classifying different soil types, hydrogeological principals, and a general understanding of environmental conditions. I created health and safety plans, environmental sampling plans, and even some project management.
Since being brought on with Watters, it has been the incredible people who helped train and guide me, and continue to do so. I appreciate all the time and work they have put into training and developing my skillset. I hope to one day become a project manager, but I know that I need to spend my time in the field to have a full understanding of the different types of jobs and scenarios that I may encounter. Learning from the people that have the technical expertise has helped me get to where I am today, and will only further my career aspirations as time goes on.
I plan to further my education towards a Masters degree and obtain my Professional Geologist of Ontario designation, so I too can become a credible expert within the environmental industry. I’m glad to be working with a company that supports and assists my personal and professional goals, and I look forward to what the future has in store.
