Grad Success Stories

Many Forestry Technician graduates have gone on to achieve success in the Forestry Sector. Here are just a few of their success stories.

Photo Credit: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

When it comes to passion for the forest and education, few programs can challenge the 50-year history of Algonquin College’s Forestry Technician program and Nikki Domingo is proof of that. Domingo graduated from the program a few years ago and says, “I wouldn’t be where I am today had it not been for the amazing schooling and networking support I received from Algonquin staff.”

Photo Credit: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

This past summer, Domingo was fighting forest fires in the Pickle Lake, Ontario area. Her passion for forest firefighting was sparked during her placement in the final semester of the Forestry Technician program in 2015. She is now into her second year as a Fire Ranger Crew Boss. “My role is to apply adequate fire suppression in a safe manner while supervising the crew members.

Some of the fires can be very intense. As a crew boss, Domingo’s role includes being a “cutter.” “When the helicopter can’t land I get out in a hover exit with a swamper and fell trees to cut a helipad. Once the helipad is cut we set up a pump and start laying hose to the fire. When we reach the fires’ edge, I jump on the nozzle and we begin to suppress and wrap the fire until it’s out.”

Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Nicole Bergevin (2011) attended the University of Guelph where she obtained her Honours Bachelor of Science in Zoology (2007) prior to coming to Algonquin College in 2010/2011. Nicole received her Forestry Technician Diploma and graduated at the top of her class. Since graduation, Nicole has worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Parks as a Research Technician and with the CIF where she worked as a marketing coordinator and knowledge exchange specialist. Learn more about Bergevin’s experience in the program.

“One thing that really attracted me to the Forestry Technician program was that it was one year instead of a two-year program. Being a military spouse, I feel like no matter where I go, I will have opportunities to work in the forestry industry. It has been hard with full-time school and my husband being in the military but I am lucky I have a great support network with my family behind me to help with my children. The college definitely has a great sense of community when it comes to military spouses and family members. I have two retired military members in my program and they have helped me with questions I have had along the way. When my husband was posted to Petawawa, I knew this was my chance to go back to school to do something that I love and I am happy I found the Forestry Technician program with Algonquin College!”

Samantha Hudson, Forestry Technician grad, Military spouse and parent

North Bay, Ontario native Jason Chicquen started working with trees at age 18 when he got a job with an area logging company. Today he is a forestry inspector for the city of Ottawa and he credits his education, from Algonquin College’s Forest Technician program, with getting him there.

“I was in my last year of high school and I was looking for a career. I worked in logging for a couple of years and then worked for an arborist company out of North Bay. It was a fly-in arborist company; we did all the islands on the French River. My employer told me to go to school because I didn’t want to be climbing trees my whole life. I had heard about Algonquin from some forest techs at Tembec and some other people,” Chicquen said. Learn more about Chicquen’s journey.

Samantha Brown had always been an environmentalist. She was raised watching National Geographic TV specials and she started clearing out decades-old garbage from the ravine in her parent’s backyard when she was old enough to understand that littering hurts the environment. time! “The knowledge base that I received at Algonquin College has stretched farther than I imagined!”

Samantha is presently working for the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations Inc. (FOCA) as the Lake Planning Program Coordinator assisting waterfront property owners to make good, stewardship-based decisions as individuals and as communities to keep their lakes pristine. Read more about Brown’s experience and journey.

Andrea Coote (2006) has set her sights on working her way up the chain of command in the fire suppression branch of Alberta’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. Coote, a Wildfire Ranger for over five years, is one of the few women who have pursued a career as a wildfire ranger in Alberta. Learn more about Coote’s journey.

Anneliese Reckewitz enrolled in Algonquin College’s fast-track Forestry Technician Program and had a job lined up before the 47-week long course was even up.

“The Alberta Sustainable Resources Development offered me a job before I graduated,” said Reckewitz, who now works as a forest officer with the Alberta Sustainable Resources Development based in the Lesser Slave Lake area. Learn more about how Reckewitz fast-tracked her job opportunities.

“The program opened the door to a career starting as a technician in Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (formerly Ministry of Natural Resources). The technical training served me throughout my career.” Throughout the years Allan had a number of different positions within the Ontario MNRF including, Area Supervisor and Enforcement Supervisor, Pembroke, Enforcement Supervisor, Cochrane, District Biologist, Conservation Officer, Park Superintendent, Temagami, Conservation Officer, Napanee, Conservation Officer, Carleton Place, Fish and Wlildlife Technician, Carleton Place and Park Warden Bon Echo Provincial Park and Fitzroy Provincial Park. Allan’s impressive career in the MNRF was not only inspired by his love for biology but also the hands-on learning he did in the Forestry Technician program with activities like forest measurement, technical writing and lots of team work!

-Allan Hyde, Forestry Technician Grad 1980