Greener Solutions is a sustainability firm that operates at the intersection of energy, environment, and finance. They lead clients toward an environmentally sustainable future in a financially responsible way by developing creative financial strategies via energy and environmental solutions.
Kyla Kryski, Greener Solutions’ Director of Communications, partnered with James Chen for a market research project through the Level UP remote internship program.
A student at the University of British Columbia, James was tasked with conducting market and competitive research for a new technology Greener Solutions was exploring.
James, who is passionate about green energy, was excited to identify Greener Solutions’ competitors' strengths and weaknesses and explore what companies in similar spaces are doing.
“I picked this project because it had a personal interest to me. I like green energy, market research, and analysis-based tasks. I picked it as something I would enjoy working for,” James shared.
While vetting students for the Level UP project, Kyla looked for an interest in sustainability and green energy, so James was a natural fit for this part of the research project. His enthusiasm for the subject was apparent.
“He was eager to learn, so we saw his evolution as the project progressed. He was keen on being helpful. I find everyone we connect with on Riipen tends to be a go-getter. They’re the people who want to go over and above,” Kyla shared.
The project aimed to produce good market research and better understand the business landscape, and some prominent industry contacts Greener Solutions could explore implementation opportunities with. Kyla was happy with the project’s results.
“We got exactly what we hoped for – an awesome bunch of contacts who helped us ask smart questions to uncover important information and put together research that will inform the next steps of that business,” Kyla commented.
“I think overall, this experience was illuminating for the students. This is especially true for students who haven’t been out in the workforce much. We all have this idea of what it is like in the corporate world. But, the corporate world and the small business world are not the same. Based on the feedback from the students, this experience was illuminating,” Kyla also shared.
James agrees. “I feel more confident working in a professional environment going into the future after this experience.”
Kyla can’t deny the value a program like Level UP has had on Greener Solutions.
“It is foolish not to use a wonderful resource like this. It’s mutually beneficial. It is helpful for small businesses that want to be mindful of how they spend their resources. It’s a great opportunity for students to try something out, experience things, and find out what interests them and what is not,” Kyla offered.
That’s why James was an excellent fit for this Level UP project. He explored a project he was passionate about, and he encouraged other students to do the same.
“I would most definitely recommend this to other students because of the opportunities and the potential for someone to find something they are interested in. I have already recommended the Riipen projects to a lot of my friends who seem interested in future potential career opportunities,” James shared.
Thank you to James Chen for sharing his experience on Riipen. To learn more about how you can get started with the Level UP remote internship program as a student or employer, visit the website here. Stay updated with the latest in higher education, experiential learning, and the future of work, and subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, The Riipen Report.
Riipen Level UP program is funded by the Government of Canada's Innovative Work-Integrated Learning (I-WIL) Initiatives program. The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.
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