Environmental inspection, an important part of pipeline construction, is also a hidden career opportunity. The role requires significant technical knowledge, as well as relevant experience, but because the career lacks formal definition, people have tended to ‘fall’ into it rather than intentionally seeking it. Job openings are generally unadvertised and often filled through word-of-mouth recommendations. For these reasons, there are significant barriers to entering this career and a lack of consistency in skill building or career progression. 

To remove barriers and address the lack of consistency, the Government of Alberta, CEPA Foundation, and Jiva Consulting have developed resources for Environmental Inspection. The work was the third phase in a larger initiative to formalize construction inspection as a career path, the first two phases being for Pipeline Construction Inspection and Facility Construction Inspection. To ensure a diversity of perspectives for capturing information accurately effectively, an industry advisory committee was formed that included a number of pipeline operating companies, inspection service providers, and environmental consultancies as well as representation from the CEPA Foundation. 

As a result of this project, the following resources were published in early 2023. Each resource can be accessed by clicking the corresponding link.