People Spotlight: Meet Carmen
Health and Safety Advisor, Program Management, Grande Prairie
Our people and culture are behind our success. Meet one of our team members and hear about their experience working at ARC.
Describe a typical workday:
A typical workday in this job doesn’t really exist. For the most part, I spend my time working on health and safety projects and programs that are either new or need to be updated due to a change in best practice, business need, or legislation. In the process, I get to work with people throughout the organization to support smooth implementation and training for our projects and programs.
Proudest accomplishment both in and outside of work:
My proudest accomplishments at work have involved the implementation of incident reporting and management systems. We’ve completed major projects with compressed time frames, which have had positive results and great utilization.
Outside of work, I’m proud of my amazing children. I enjoy getting involved in as many of their activities as I can, either as a volunteer or helping organize events.
Favourite thing about working at ARC:
There are so many great things about working for ARC. ARC supports my work-life balance through the ability to work remotely when required, flex days, and great benefits. I’ve also felt incredibly supported here when I have asked for training and personal development opportunities and have had a great experience with the ARC Mentorship Program.
People at ARC are friendly, respectful, and willing to help each other out – always providing support in their area of expertise and raising suggestions for improvement.
Learning and development opportunities:
I’ve had several learning and development opportunities at ARC. I’ve been supported in participating in industry committees, courses, workshops, and conferences that support my role, but I’ve also been encouraged to expand beyond that focus to my areas of interest.
As a result, I’ve been able to participate in Project Management training, Information Technology training and implementation processes. I’ve also had the opportunity to participate in ARC’s Mentorship Program, both as a mentor and partner. My mentor has been able to provide valuable experience and advice in several areas, and I’ve had the opportunity to grow my leadership and mentorship skills through mentoring my partner.
Thoughts on the future of the industry as it relates to your field:
As technology evolves, new hazards are introduced to our workplace every day, which will need unique controls and training for workers. As more information is learned about the products we use, the environments around us, and how the human body responds to certain types of work – health and safety professionals will continue to be needed to design and implement strategies for protection from these hazards.
Of course, as new information is discovered, best practices and legislation will also change, requiring professionals to support the industry in evolving their approach to meet new requirements. Overall, the focus of health and safety professionals may shift and expand, but there will always be a need for people with this expertise.
Describe ARC's culture:
I find the culture open, friendly, and inquisitive. People listen openly to a new suggestion or idea and will ask questions to get a better understanding. I find this approach creates better outcomes and understanding in the long run.
People at ARC are approachable at all levels of the organization. It’s a great feeling, as someone based in Grande Prairie to be able to comfortably have a conversation with a manager over the coffee pot when you see them.
