The Outdoor and Environmental Education (OEE) Department of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) values and supports all forms of experiential education.  To this end we are pleased to offer certifications, cooperative education placements, experiential opportunities and reach ahead activities in support of the Specialist High Skills Major Program. 

Sectors we support: Agriculture, Environment, Non-profit.

Certifications we current provide:

  • Global Positioning Systems – Advanced Map Skills
  • Seed Saving – Small batch processing
  • Plant ID
  • Species ID
  • Weed ID
  • Habitat Restoration
  • Wilderness Survival

 

Experiential opportunities:

Every semester we run an event centered on habitat restoration and trail maintenance.  All WRDSB agriculture/environment/non-profit SHSM classes are invited.  This is a larger event with multiple schools participating and an excellent opportunity for students to network with their peers in the WRDSB.

 

We also offer ‘career talk’ once a year to interested schools.  OEE staff and our chosen community partner go ‘on tour’ to talk careers in the Environment and Non-profit sectors.  This event is offered in partnership with the Environment Faculty of the University of Waterloo and the TD Walter Bean Sustainability Fellowship.  We will advertise this event in the spring semester.

 

Cooperative Education

Our four Environmental Education Centers each take a cooperative education student each semester.  These students are involved in all aspects of running an OEE site and support field trips, school visits, and community events offered by the OEE department.  These placements are offered centrally to all coop students though SHSM students are prioritized.

 

Reach Ahead

Twice a semester OEE partners with the Earth Science Museum, Science Faculty and Environment Faculty at UW to offer a ‘conference style’ engagement opportunity where our students meet current UW students, participate in a hands on workshop, learn about the universities dual credit programs, sit in on a lecture and get a tour of campus.