Change In Careers Equals A Change for Climate

Meet Chris Crevier, a recent NAIT Alternative Energy Technology (ALTE) graduate. We talked to him about his experiences in the program and suggestions that he has for those who are thinking of making a change to their career, and a “change for climate”. Chris was featured in Techlife Today, where he reveals his unique journey through hardship and his developing passion for sustainability. We talked to Chris a few weeks after graduation while he “come[s] back into reality” and recovers from a long year of schooling.

Chris finished the ALTE program with a capstone project where he and his group assessed the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement and made recommendations on how to reduce utility usage, increase energy efficiency and where to allocate a $1.9 million Alberta Indigenous Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program (AIEERP) grant.

Projects like this give students their first taste of what work in the industry looks like and a chance to meet those who are building this new industry from the ground up. Through his project, Chris discovered some of the many career directions that are possible in this industry, including labour and installation, estimation and assessment, energy modeling, and project development.

Chris and many of his fellow graduates are now on the hunt for meaningful employment. As the renewable energy industry is still so young, he is finding that you need to network, “get your name out there” and approach companies with the skills that you can offer them.

The renewable energy sector is a great option for those looking to develop a meaningful career that has a positive environmental impact. Chris suggests attending open houses at different institutions. This will give you the chance to ask questions about the program of interest and determine the direction that it will take you.

Chris’ message to Edmontonians is: “It’s within people’s power to make a difference.” Chris found himself assessing his brother in-law’s appliances and lighting and suggested replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs to lower his utility bill. The response from his brother in-law was, “Are you going to pay for that?”, which is a common concern. Programs that exist to help with the cost of increasing energy efficiency in your home include:

• Energy Efficiency Alberta, where rebates are available for making certain energy efficiency upgrades.
• Edmonton residents can get $400 against the cost of an EnerGuide Home Energy Evaluation. During these evaluations, homeowners can learn about the current energy efficiency of their home and what they can do to improve.

Learn more about the NAIT Alternative Energy Technology program.

This post was written by our summer students, Stephanie and Graham. If you live in Edmonton and have a climate change story to tell, let us know! Your story could be shared here too.