ECO Canada

ECO Canada (Environmental Careers Organization of Canada) is an online resource for environmental jobs, certification and training established in 1992 as part of Canada's sector council initiative. Sector councils are organizations that address human resource challenges facing the Canadian economy.^[1] With the support of private sector investors and the Government of Canada’s Department of Human Resources and Social Development, ECO Canada works to determine the skills and human resource needs of Canada’s environment industry.

ECO Canada develops programs that help individuals build environmental careers, provides employers with resources to hire and retain environmental professionals, and informs educators and governments of environmental employment trends.

ECO Canada offers environmental career resources for professionals and employers, including:

• An online Job Board
• Formal Environmental Professional (EP) certification
• Internship wage-subsidies
• Training and professional development
• Online environmental education programs
• Industry-wide environmental research publications
• Environmental networking events and workshops for professionals across Canada

Background

ECO Canada is one of about 30 sector councils ^[2] whose objectives are to:

• Implement national occupational standards for skills and training
• Promote employment opportunities via a skilled workforce
• Meet industry requirements for qualified new practitioners
• Provide labour market projections and information on environmental sector trends for governments, educators, youth, and industry planners
• Improve the dialogue between industry and the academic community
• Address labour market entry problems and school-to-work transition difficulties encountered by youth

ECO Canada provides resources to meet the needs of the industry, including an online environmental job board, certification for environmental practitioners, a wage-subsidy internship program, environment industry specific labour market reports, and the Environmental Employer of the Year Awards. ECO Canada also conducts research studies on human resources issues within the Canadian environmental industry. The organization publishes reports that covers topics such as HR best practices, industry compensation and labour market trends.^[3]

Sector Council Program

ECO Canada is a member of the national sector council program. Although as diverse as the various industries, all sector councils touch upon technological advancements, human resource planning, training opportunities and industry forecasting.^[4]

Projects

In 2006, ECO Canada and Royal Roads University partnered to create the Canadian Centre for Environmental Education (CCEE).^[5] The CCEE offers an environmental certificate program that takes online environmental university and college courses and combines them into one certificate. There are more than 20 universities and colleges participating by offering their courses. Some of these include: Cape Breton University, University of Toronto, Red River College, Sault College, University of Victoria, Ryerson University, Royal Military College, BCIT, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly SIAST).

In May 2009, ECO Canada made available its 2009 Compensation Report. This document is Canada’s first detailed study of compensation related to key occupations in the environmental sector.

In October 2009, ECO Canada released its 2009 HR Best Practices Report discussing innovative HR practices from Canadian environmental companies.

On October 1, 2009, ECO Canada announced its new national certification program for greenhouse gas (GHG) professionals.^[6] The certification will be administered by ECO Canada's certification body, the Canadian Environmental Certification Approvals Board (CECAB).^[7]

References

External links

• ECO Canada
• Canadian Centre for Environmental Education