Featured Student: Jerlyn Brutas

What is your field of study and when will you graduate?

I'm studying Applied Animal Biology and will be graduating in Spring 2025.

Why did you choose to enroll in Co-op?

After enrolling in the Applied Animal Biology Practicum (APBI 496) course in Summer 2022, I became curious about other hands-on work opportunities that I could experience while in my undergrad.

My goal with my degree is to work in wildlife and habitat conservation efforts, but I still don’t necessarily know which area of this work that I would like to be in (e.g., education and outreach, policy, field ecology, etc.). Co-op appeared to be a wonderful opportunity to see which jobs are out there in related fields.

I especially wanted to gain experience in environmental-based field work, which I did end up doing! While I still don’t fully know which type of work I'm aiming to do after I graduate, I have a much better idea of the types of jobs that exist in these fields and I'm confident in the networking connections and experiences that I made during Co-op to get me to a job that I'm passionate about.

Which positions did you work during Co-op?

My first work term was with the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) as a Youth Programs Intern. I spent half of this term prepping, planning and organizing schedules, as well as events, for BCWF conservation-based summer camps. I spent the other half of this term traveling through the interior of BC as a camp counselor with the wonderful Youth Programs team.

For my second term, I worked for Surrey’s Natural Areas Partnership (SNAP) as a Field Team Member. This was an amazing work experience that connected me closer to nature and the outdoors, through invasive plant removals, as well as native tree and shrub planting.

In my third and current work term I’m placed with the Pacific Salmon Foundation as a Research Assistant under the Resilient Coasts for Salmon project. I’m researching and reviewing different policies, projects and incentive programs offered by local governments on Vancouver Island that support coastal climate adaptations and nature-based solutions, then writing reports based on my reviews.

I’ve learned a lot about government involvement in habitat conservation and I’m really enjoying my research! I’ll be staying with the Pacific Salmon Foundation for my final co-op term as well.

Surrey Natural Areas Partnership (SNAP) seems like an awesome organization! Can you share any projects that you contributed to or restoration projects that you worked on?

One of my favourite projects that I worked on with SNAP was a trail restoration project at Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest Park.

This project involved planting native plants, as well as placing large logs and woody debris in “natural” ways to narrow the walking trails that had been widened overtime due to use. We also closed up any unsanctioned trails. By preventing the trails from encroaching too far into the natural areas, we can allow the ecosystem to flourish while still providing walking space for trail users.

It was really fun to “design” restoration sites to look as natural as possible!

Another amazing restoration initiative we undertook was tree seedling planting!

Throughout the term we planted over 1,200 seedlings in several forested park areas in Surrey. It was such a fun experience to take to the woods early in the morning to plant baby trees!

As a research assistant with Pacific Salmon Foundation, you developed an educational piece to be utilized by local governments to improve the uptake of nature-based solutions on the West Coast – can you share about this?

This project is ongoing! I'm writing reports on coastal climate change adaptation strategies that exist within local governments on the east coast of Vancouver Island, specifically those that support nature-based solutions (i.e., natural shoreline restoration over hard-armouring with seawalls). It will be a series of reports based on different regional districts on the island.

For example, the current report that I’m working on covers the Capital Regional District, which includes 13 different municipalities. Once finished, these reports will be printed out, sent to local government offices and available publicly on the Resilient Coasts for Salmon website.

The goal for these pieces is for local governments to see which adaptation strategies are being used by other governments. We hope this sparks conversations on how to better protect the shoreline and communities surrounding it, how governments may collaborate with each other to overcome jurisdictional issues and how to support the implementation of nature-based solutions.

It’s a very research-intensive project that takes a lot of time, but it has so far been very rewarding!

I see that you worked at three different employers during your placements – would you have opted to do one 16-month placement if the opportunity arose, or did you go into the program wanting to try out different employers and types of work?

I wanted to be able to try out as many opportunities as possible!

While I would have definitely considered it, if a well-fitting 16-month placement came my way, I’m very happy with my choice to experiment and try out different positions. I feel like I‘ve learned so much and gained valuable experiences in different types of work.

Can you share your favourite experience while in Co-op?

While I love all of my work terms, my overall favourite experience was working outdoors all day, every day, during my work term with SNAP!

It was truly a rejuvenating experience that allowed me to feel closer to nature, rediscover my love of long walks and learn so much about BC’s native and invasive flora! I enjoyed being in parks and urban forests, immersed in nature as early as 8:00 AM.

Even on really rainy days, I enjoyed getting muddy and digging in the dirt with my team. It is truly amazing what being outdoors does for your mental and physical health!

What was your best achievement in Co-op?

I would love to share an achievement from each of my co-op terms!

In my first term as a camp counselor with BCWF, I felt immense achievement when gaining the trust of my young campers and building positive memories with them, especially those who were on the shyer side or considered themselves “misfits.” Among many of them were children who openly identified as autistic or otherwise neurodivergent, and as a neurodivergent person myself who was extremely shy as a child, it was extremely heartwarming to know that I could help them feel safe and enjoy camp.

With SNAP, I felt like every restoration project that we completed was a huge achievement!

One that comes to mind in particular was an invasive blackberry removal project done at Bose Forest Park. We removed massive amounts of Himalayan blackberry, then planted over 400 native trees and shrubs in their place!

Lastly with Pacific Salmon Foundation, I recently had the amazing opportunity to present my project and findings at the Pacific Estuarine Research Society (PERS) Conference in Nanaimo. I was the only undergraduate student who presented and it felt like a huge accomplishment! I also learned so much at the conference about shoreline restoration and conservation that I’ll definitely take with me, as I continue my work with PSF into the summer.

What did you feel most challenged by and how did you overcome it?

I think my biggest challenge was finding my pace for writing and research in my current role with PSF.

When I first started, I felt quite a bit of pressure, knowing that my writing would be published and given to local governments; I would be representing the amazing Resilient Coasts for Salmon initiative through my writing!

As I progressed in the term, I got to know the subject matter better and found my rhythm with independent research and writing. I’m a lot more confident in my skills now than I was in the beginning. My supervisor is also very kind and a wonderful support in my work!

How do you feel Co-op helped your personal growth?

I’ve learned so much about myself and my work styles through Co-op, simply by trying out different fields of work.

I’ve also learned about the world, through different perspectives, by meeting and interacting with different and diverse communities (e.g., rural communities in the BC interior, coastal communities on Vancouver Island, First Nations communities, etc.). Learning about conservation through the lens of different fields and people opened my eyes to the importance of intersectionality in conservation; all people should be included in the conversation. I feel more confident in the career pathways I’m taking and will take in the future with these experiences.

Co-op made me tenfold more confident in writing resumes and cover letters, taking interviews and applying for jobs - even those that I may not initially feel qualified for. I know now that it never hurts to try!

How do you feel Co-op has helped your career?

Having three different Co-op placements allowed me to build connections and network with my employers, as well as colleagues, in many different fields.

I’ve made many wonderful personal and professional relations. Maintaining good relationships with my previous supervisors gave me valuable references for future job applications.

The connections that I made with well-established conservation organizations makes me well-set for finding work and expanding my career in the future!

Which supports from the Science Co-op program (workshops, practice interviews, etc.) do you feel best assisted you? Can you talk about the direct impact on your career?

I enjoyed and benefited from practice interviews and resume/cover letter checks. In particular, the practice interviews helped me build up confidence. It was wonderful to be able to practice and get constructive feedback on my interview answers.

I owe a lot of my success in the Co-op program to my Coordinator, Sanya Sivic. She did an amazing job of looking out for me as a Co-op student and checking in on how I’m doing. Every time I have a check-in meeting with her, or request to do a practice interview, she always makes me feel comfortable, safe and supported. Huge shout-out to Sanya!

What advice would you offer to future Co-op students?

1. Interviews will always seem scarier than they really are. In the end, it’s just a conversation between you and someone else! Yes, you want to impress, but it’s also very important to let your personality shine through in your answers! Don’t be rigid, stay calm, take deep breaths and believe in yourself.
2. Practice, practice, practice! My interview skills improved immensely after practicing with my Co-op Coordinator and with friends. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people for this!
3. Rejection will happen and it’s okay. While I’ve had many successes in Co-op, I’ve also had many rejections in the process. Ultimately, it’s upsetting (and it’s okay to be upset!), but don’t let it stop you from continuing. If you keep trying your best, you’ll find a job that suits you!
4. Don’t be afraid to try new things! Applying for Co-op jobs can be intimidating and can often be difficult to find jobs that you want, but don’t limit yourself to what you think you know! You’d be surprised what kind of experiences you can gain from just trying new work.
5. Make connections and build relationships with your colleagues. For some, this may be easier said than done, but I promise that it’ll make your Co-op experience so much more fun and memorable.

What are you looking forward to after graduation?

I’m excited to continue exploring my career.

Even after all of the work experience that I’ve had and after many years of undergrad, I know that I still have so much to learn – and I love to learn!

After Co-op, I know that I can tackle the job market with confidence and in stride. I look forward to every opportunity that I get to grow as a person and to learn more about the world!