b'CAREER PROFILEDEPARTMENTALICIA KIMBERLEYCONTINUED FROM PAGE 32Q: What do you find most challenging in your work? constructive feedback, stories and lessons learned. Looking back, Hydrogeology can be very challengingbut that is what appealsthe things I was taught during those first few years of my career tome!Everysiteisdifferent.Evenwhenyouhaveregionalhave shaped me into the hydrogeologist I am now.groundwater mapping covering a site, you wont know whats goingonfromalocalscaleuntilasite-specificgroundwaterAlthough my education and professional designations (P.Geo.) are study is performed. To date, the most challenging but excitingvital to being the lead hydrogeologist on my projects, the on-the-project I worked through involved a pressurized aquifer, whichjob training has been the most valuable. To work in the realm of unexpectedly breached during site development and required anhydrogeology, the prescribed academic education/training is not extensive dewatering exercise.The project had dewatering ratesabsolutely vital; however, without the formal academic education/of over two million litres per day over an 18-month period totraining, which is required to obtain the applicable professional repair the breach and continue with site development.designations, you would be limited with respect to your ultimate career growth. Q: What do you enjoy the most? Ithoroughlyenjoysolvinghydrogeologymysteries.IfindQ: If you could start over, would you change your career path? groundwaterbehaviourfascinating,andwhenyoustart predicting groundwater behaviour on a local scale it gets evenI wouldnt change my career path. Although my journey has not more interesting! The projects where unexpected hydrogeologicalalways been sunshine and rainbows, and I have had to work through conditionsareencountered,whenthefieldworkoranalysissome different working scenarios, I feel like these situations have throws me a hurdle and I get to MacGyver a solution, are mymade me a better manager and professional. Im proud of what Ive absolute favourites.accomplished to date, and Im excited to continue growing in the years to come. Q: How did you become interested in this work? Ive always been curious about hydrogeology. I grew up in a ruralINDUSTRY AND ADVICE town where the local groundwater had been contaminated byQ: What advice would you give a high school student unsure of illegal dumping of PCB, and drinking water needed to be shippedthe opportunities in the aggregate industry?in, which had limiting implications for town growth. Growing upThe aggregate industry is multi-disciplinary and offers plenty of with an awareness of the potentially detrimental impacts we candiverse career opportunities. You could start your career in one area have on groundwater has driven me to continue advancing myand over time move into another area. Working on projects in the hydrogeological wheelhouse, and to share that knowledge with others to raise awareness.aggregate industry is almost like putting a puzzle together. The industry is heavily regulated, which sets the stage for what needs EDUCATION AND ADVANCEMENT to be done, but there are so many different parties all working Q:Is your current position the same as when you started insimultaneously. Its impressive to watch the pieces come together this company?to achieve the same goal. This industry is anything but boring! WhenIjoinedTathaminOctober2022,thehydrogeology departmentwasateamofone.Sincemystartdate,TathamQ: What are some common jobs in the aggregate industry that acquiredWhitewaterHydrogeologyandhiredfiveadditionaldont require a formal education? team members. Growing from a department of one to six in lessWith respect to hydrogeology, our fieldwork is typically carried out than a year has been an impressive feat that I am very proud of. Priortothis,Tathamsubcontractedfortheirhydrogeologicalby a field technician. For our work in the aggregate industry, field needs, but developing our services in-house has enabled our teamtechnicians working on pit/quarry sites will measure groundwater growth to accelerate.levelsusingmonitoringwells,collectgroundwaterandsurface watersamplesforchemicalanalysis,andmonitorsurface-Q: How is your education or training relevant to your job?groundwater interactions. This job involves a lot of time outside, I obtained my Bachelor of Science from McMaster Universitywalking and exploring pit/quarry properties at various stages of a andthencontinuedmyeducationjourneyatWaterlooproject. If you are lucky enough to be the technician continuously University, where I obtained my Master of Science specializingmonitoring a specific site, you may get to see the evolution of a pit/inhydrogeophysics.WhileatWaterloomythesisfocusedonquarry from planning to the initial stages of extraction. the application of shallow hydrogeophysical methods, but my academic focus was on hydrogeology.Q: What hard or soft skills should someone in your field have?IwasfortunatetogetajobimmediatelyaftermymastersThe hard skills would be project coordination, troubleshooting/ program with an amazing mentor. At the time, I thought myMacGyveringanddatamanagement;thesoftskillsare mentorcouldbequiteannoyingwithwhatfeltlikeconstantadaptability, professionalism and attention to detail.34 AVENUESFALL 2023'