A green ride to promote green jobs

A cyclist says there is an incredible amount of opportunity for young people to find jobs in the forest and conservation sector and to get the message out, he's cycling across Canada on wooden bicycles.

Zac Wagman says growing up, no one talked about green jobs or careers as the buzz at that time was on the digital and technology sectors. 

"I actually grew up playing way too many video games and spending way too much time indoors," he said.

"It was only after getting exposed to an outdoor summer job that I realized how awesome the outdoors is."

Wagman works with an organization called Project Learning Tree Canada. Its goal is to get youth to consider a short-term job working in the great outdoors, including a financial incentive for companies to hire them.

"The idea is to get young people a foot in the door and then let them decide if they want to continue down that path," he said.

"From a lot of the employers we've been speaking with, the roadblocks are finding young people who actually want to work. Employers want to hire people, they just can't find those people."

Wagman says it's a good time to get into the forestry sector.

"With wood products becoming more important in the face of climate change with their carbon sequestration properties," he said. "So we believe the forestry on the up and up."

His trip has a green element as well as he's riding on a bike made of wood. It was made by a Montreal-based company and is similar in weight to a regular bicycle.

Wagman says it's always been a dream of his to bike across the country.

"But it's been really nice to tie in a larger purpose behind it and really see the sense of community from coast to coast," he said.

"Just seeing the passion that everybody brings to their work is enough motivation to keep pedaling on those tough days."

Currently, Wagman is making his way through northern Ontario.

"The mosquitos and black flies have been a little nuts," he said. "I can now appreciate why everyone says the bugs are bad in northern Ontario."

Wagman started his journey in Victoria, B.C. and plans to arrive in Newfoundland at the end of September, right in time for National Forest Week.