It’s been 34 years since I spent the summer working as a Ranger, on the shores of Lake Huron, near Sagamok First Nation and Massey, Ontario.  It was this job that has had the greatest impact on my work and life decisions and it’s the reason why I still head out on backcountry canoe trips each year.

I’ve worked as an employment counsellor for much of my career.  Managers in the employment counselling field often struggle to find a way to measure the real value of their employment programs.  For example, how do you measure the success of the Ontario Ranger program?  

Diplomas, degrees and job titles are really only a small part of what is necessary for managing a successful career; it’s an individual’s transferable skills that really are the key to success.  The Ontario Ranger program benefits the Ontario workforce by providing young participants with the opportunity to develop transferable skills such as teamwork, negotiating, problem solving, time management, planning, delegating, and communicating.  Employers definitely know the value of these skills, even if they are difficult to measure.

In addition to developing transferable skills, this experience gave me the opportunity to leave the city for the summer and learn about a part of Ontario I had never visited.  I gained a sense of our history, learned about the environment and gained an awareness of regional issues. 

The Ontario Ranger program has always been accessible to everyone, which means youth from all parts of the province and all backgrounds have access to experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise.  It is my belief that this program helps to build a stronger province by fostering a greater understanding of the needs in different regions, while preparing participants with the skills they need for success in work, learning and life.