Rory's journey

How it all started

Rory earned a diploma in Renewable Resources – Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) before moving to the Yukon. He worked as a leader with the Yukon Youth Conservation Corps (Y2C2), volunteered with conservation officers and worked as a parks officer for the Government of Yukon’s Department of Environment. That last role really helped him understand compliance and enforcement, including regulatory natural resource law.

Growing up, Rory dreamed of becoming a park ranger. The seasonal nature of the job was one drawback. Then, he began to learn more about the year-round work that natural resource officers did and something clicked. It was a job that meant he could make a difference by upholding natural resource laws and protecting the environment – not exactly like he imagined but maybe better!

What he likes about his job

The Government of Yukon offers “temporary assignments”. This allows employees to keep their position while filling a different role for a set period of time. Rory has been able to do this 4 times within the Compliance, Monitoring and Inspections Branch to learn every aspect of the natural resource officer role, including several senior roles. Rory has found our commitment to career development is only one of the many advantages of his job. He says, “It would be hard to raise a family without the great benefits that we have.”

Career highlight

It was difficult for Rory to pick a stand-out work experience during his career. Is it the week-long snowmobile trip in the Yukon’s backcountry? Or maybe travelling up the Snake River in a helicopter to help reclaim an historic diesel spill? Perhaps it’s the 3-day camping trip to conduct a water sampling program in a super remote part of the territory where the weather was perfect and bears, caribou and moose were abundant.

Even if he spends his work day outside, Rory’s passion for the outdoors extends to his extracurricular activities. The Yukon’s recreational culture means there’s always someone who’s ready to go fishing, skiing or hiking. And nature is always close by.

Advice to applicants

He encourages folks to apply even if they’re not entirely sure they match all the requirements. Rory says, “A positive attitude, willingness to learn and working well on a team go a long way.”