ABRAM-VILLAGE – March 11, 2025 – A new two-year program by RDÉE Prince Edward Island, called “Promotion des métiers et emplois verts”, aims to raise awareness among the Island’s francophone high school students about career opportunities in fields related to sustainable development and the environment. And who better to tell the young people about such opportunities than those who work in them every day.
“RDÉE PEI greatly appreciates the fact that several employers and entrepreneurs have agreed to work with us to convey a very important message to our young people,” said Velma LeBlanc, president of RDÉE PEI, in a message delivered at the program’s official launch on March 10 in Abram-Village. “They will help us show the next generation plenty of tangible evidence that sustainable development is not just a theoretical concept that is discussed on the news, but rather a series of real practices – offering real careers and jobs – that help ensure our health, survival and prosperity. At the same time, these same jobs and practices help conserve our waters, our lands and our planet. It’s a subject that greatly interests and sometimes worries our youth.”
LeBlanc also expressed great appreciation to the Government of Canada for supporting this program through its Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program.
“Canada is making strides in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals by working with partners at home and abroad to build a sustainable future for all. The Promotion of Green Trade and Jobs project will positively influence the next generation by inspiring Francophone high school students to pursue careers in sustainable development and the environment. By raising awareness of these opportunities, we are helping to build a greener future and empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in the evolving job market,” said the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna Sudds, in relation to this initiative.
THE PROJECT
Sebastian Vargas, RDÉE PEI’s economic development manager in charge of the project, indicated that a search was first conducted to identify French-speaking businesses and employers offering services in French in green sectors and trades such as renewable energies, organic agriculture, natural habitat protection and management, recycling and waste management, green technologies, among many others. “Fortunately, we found several who were happy to work with us,” he says.
Project coordinator Julien Fournel explains the project’s components: “First of all, we’re organizing interactive workshops in French-speaking schools, from the end of March to the end of April. Through our presentations and sustainable development job card games, the students will be able to discover a variety of trades and understand the skills needed to work in them. Parks Canada, our main partner, will also be giving a presentation on the many jobs offered by this department, which is directly involved in protecting the environment on a daily basis.”
Then, in early May, Parks Canada and four other employers and partner organizations – the Gaïa Project with STEAM PEI, Greenfoot Energy Solutions and Wheatley River Improvement Group – will join the RDÉE to participate in the French for the Future Local Forum in Charlottetown. Each will have a booth in the career fair section of the forum to promote their jobs and programs related to sustainable development. Three of the partners will also be delivering workshops on sustainability topics throughout the day.
Vargas commented that the RDÉE is extremely pleased to have been able to conclude such a great collaborative agreement with French for the Future. “Our general missions are similar. French for the Future already had the infrastructure in place but was looking for employers with booths and workshop topics while our program could provide them with green job workshops and booths. It’s a perfect match.”
He adds that next year, the necessary adjustments will be made and similar workshops and sessions on green jobs will be delivered to the next classes of students coming up the line.
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PHOTO 1: At the official launch of the “Promotion des métiers et emplois verts” project on March 4 in Abram-Village, from left, are Edmond Gallant, treasurer of RDÉE Prince Edward Island’s board of directors, project coordinator Julien Fournel, Sebastian Vargas, RDÉE PEI’s economic development manager in charge of the project, and RDÉE PEI executive director Stéphane Blanchard.
PHOTO 2: Julien Fournel and Sebastian Vargas explain the project during the launching ceremony.
For further information, please contact
Julien Fournel
Coordinator
« Promotion des métiers et emplois verts » project
julien@rdeeipe.org
Sebastian Vargas
Economic Development Officer
RDÉE Prince Edward Island
sebastian@rdeeipe.org
Geneviève Lemaire
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
genevieve.lemaire@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca