Master’s students gain in-demand skills as part of Laurier’s Environmental Data Analytics field

May 10, 2024

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Master of Environmental Studies in Geography – Environmental Data Analytics field offers graduate students in-demand skills in environmental analytics and was created to fill a need in the marketplace.  

“We had situations where prospective employers were contacting us and asking if we had anybody who could do this kind of work,” says Mary-Louise Byrne, chair of Laurier’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. “So it was a kind of a marriage of supply and demand.”

The Environmental Data Analytics field combines training in data science, geospatial computing and environmental data, preparing students for data-intensive careers in the private, public and non-profit sectors.

“Whenever we think data, we think numbers,” says Byrne. “When we think spatial data, we think of two or three-dimensional spaces. A map of a city is spatial data and the processes that happen in that city, whether they’re environmental, economic or social, can be measured.”

Through a paid, 120-hour work placement, the Environmental Data Analytics field provides potential employers a pipeline of students who possess the skills necessary to address this highly specialized business need. Banks, conservation authorities, real estate companies and several not-for-profit organizations have connected with the program in search of talent.

Reep Green Solutions, a non-profit that helps people in Waterloo Region live more sustainably through energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction, was one of those employers looking to fill a need.

“We were very impressed with the quality of applicants from Laurier’s Environmental Data Analytics program,” says Patrick Gilbride, executive director of Reep Green Solutions. “The student we hired for an internship impressed us with their knowledge, adaptability and enthusiasm for learning. So much so that we hired them after they graduated, which has proven to enhance our team’s expertise and overall productivity.”

Arman Amin, the student hired by Reep Green Solutions, is now a graduate of the Environmental Data Analytics field. Amin says he was attracted to the program’s work placement component to gain more experience in the Canadian workplace.

Amin, who is from Iran, holds a degree in architecture from the Iran University of Science and Technology and a master of advanced studies in collective housing from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

“After several years of working, I got more interested in sustainability, including green architecture and LEED certification in buildings,” says Amin.  “When I wanted to do my second master’s, I found Laurier’s Environmental Data Analytics field and thought it would be helpful for my career.”

Spatial data can be used to analyze regional labour markets and identify gaps like the one the Environmental Data Analytics field is filling. The Four County Labour Planning Board uses spatial data for this purpose. The organization reports on labour market trends in Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties and has also worked with a Laurier Environmental Data Analytics student.  

“As a not-for-profit organization with a limited budget we are a training ground,” says Dana Soucie, executive director of the Four County Labour Planning Board. “I was so pleased with the work of our Laurier student I readjusted my budget to keep them on after the placement ended.”

The Environmental Data Analytics field can be completed in one year and equips students with the skills, knowledge and practical work experience required by employers in the private, public and non-profit sectors. To learn more, see the program requirements. Employers looking to connect with an Environmental Data Analytics student can contact Laurier’s Community and Workplace Partnerships office.