Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy is creating new opportunities for people across the province — and the Green Roots Summit brought together the people helping to build that future.
The 2025-26 Green Roots Summit was a celebration of talent, partnerships, and career opportunities across Newfoundland and Labrador’s growing green economy. The event brought together Green Roots participants and alumni, employers, mentors, students, recent graduates, industry professionals, and community partners for a day focused on connection, career development, and the future of the province’s green workforce.
At the heart of the event were the stories of the people who have taken part in the Green Roots Career Series — each bringing their own experience, skills, and aspirations to Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy.
The Summit featured success stories from five Green Roots participants and alumni: Azmat Ullah, Aria AzadiPour, Jenna Scott, Abdelrahman Mohammed, and Zadok Gyesi.
Azmat Ullah: Azmat is a data scientist and joined the Green Roots program when he was concluding his graduate program at Memorial University, and was looking forward to his next career phase in Newfoundland and Labrador. According to Azmat, the Green Roots program helped him discover and understand his brand positioning and how to network effectively. Having applied the career development principles he learned from Green Roots Clean Careers Course, he landed two internship offers which he had to decline because he was offered a full-time position elsewhere.
Aria AzadiPour: Aria is no stranger to econext and our initiatives, as he was part of the NLight — team that won the first prize at econext’s Fall 2025 Clean Growth Ideathon at Memorial University, and has since proceeded to turn their team’s idea to business opportunity in the province. He joined the Green Roots program to access employment opportunities within NL’s green economy. He received a business development and software development offer at Canadian Global Maritime where he has been described as highly professional, knowledgeable and diligent.
Jenna Scott: Jenna is a GIS and environmental scientist who joined Green Roots when she was looking for her next career opportunity. Jenna attended all networking opportunities and secured an internship opportunity with Feaver’s Lane. Randal Greene, President and Principal Consultant at Feaver’s Lane, mentioned that the Green Roots program provides a low-risk opportunity for businesses to access talents. He added that Jenna is doing fantastic, and they will be happy to keep her for longer.
Abdelrahman Mohammed: Abdelrahman joined Pedal and Shift as an intern through the Green Roots program. Upon completing his internship there, he transitioned into a full-time position at the organization.
Zadok Gyesi: Zadok described his Green Roots experience as one of a kind. He received an internship opportunity at the City of Corner Brook. He mentioned that he wouldn’t have known where to turn to at the City Hall if he was seeking employment, but the Green Roots program provided him that access. The rest they say, is history.
Together, these stories highlight an important part of building a strong green economy.
The Employer Perspectives Panel brought together representatives from Green Roots employer partners to discuss their experiences hosting interns, the evolving workforce needs of Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy, and practical advice for participants pursuing careers in the sector.
Panelists included Ogaga Johnson, econext’s Director of Capacity Building and Project Management; Randal Greene, President and GIS Consultant at Feaver’s Lane; Peter Ogban, Senior Energy Systems Engineer at Angler Solutions; Roxana Fazli, CEO of Expertise Hub Co-operative; Nick House, Renewable Energy Project Manager at WESI; and Anskey Miranda, Innovation and Product Manager at Global Maritime Group.
The discussion highlighted the mutual value of internships for both employers and participants. Employers shared that Green Roots interns contributed fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn, while also helping organizations address project needs and build a pipeline of future talent. Several panelists noted that internships provide an opportunity to assess potential employees in a real-world work environment and, where appropriate, transition successful interns into permanent positions.
Panelists emphasized that while technical knowledge is important, employers consistently value transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, initiative, professionalism, problem-solving, and a willingness to learn. They encouraged participants to tailor their resumes and cover letters to each position, research prospective employers, demonstrate genuine interest during interviews, and actively build professional networks.
The panel also discussed the growing demand for talent across Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy, identifying continued opportunities in environmental consulting, renewable energy, clean technology, engineering, sustainability, and climate adaptation. Employers encouraged participants to remain curious, continue developing new skills, and take advantage of networking and experiential learning opportunities such as those offered through Green Roots.
Zakiya Young, econext’s Workforce Events Lead, delivered a presentation on the future of Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy, highlighting the province’s growing opportunities in renewable energy, environmental services, sustainable resource development, and climate adaptation.
Participants were encouraged to view the green economy as a rapidly evolving sector with increasing demand for skilled professionals from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. The presentation emphasized the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and professional networking in preparing for future career opportunities. Participants were also encouraged to remain engaged with econext and the Green Roots community as they continue their career journeys.
The summit concluded with a recognition ceremony led by Laura Barron, CEO of econext, and Timilehin Oguntuyaki, Green Career Development and Training Lead.
Certificates of appreciation were presented to recognize the valuable contributions of employer partners, mentors, guest speakers, and panelists who supported the successful delivery of Green Roots throughout the 2025-26 program year. Participants who completed internships through the program were also recognized for their achievements and contributions during their placements.
The recognition ceremony celebrated the collaborative efforts of industry, community partners, mentors, and participants in advancing workforce development within Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy. The event concluded with an invitation for attendees to remain engaged with econext and to stay connected as preparations begin for Green Roots 3.0.
The Green Roots Summit would not have been possible without the support of the people and organizations who continue to invest in creating opportunities within Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy.
A special thank you to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and TD Bank for sponsoring this incredible event and supporting the Green Roots Career Series.
And, of course, thank you to all of the participants, alumni, employers, mentors, industry professionals, community partners, and attendees who joined us and contributed to the conversation.
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