Stacy O’Brien
Lethbridge Herald
In the past, James Olson spent his time behind the scenes of the B.C. Lions Football Club organizing half-time shows. He’d set up entertainment, making sure there were enough big inflatable characters and announcers.
“It was a pretty surreal job,” he says.
Now he’s juggling even more acts as an intern administering municipal programs in Raymond. From writing bylaws to applying for grants, Olson is learning the ins and outs of municipal administration.
He has found the multi-tasking he learned on one job has made his current position more manageable.
“In both I find I’ve had to do a variety of different tasks; its always changing. I don’t do things twice two days in a row.”
The Municipal Internship Program Olson is taking part in started in 2002 as a way to attract eager young post-secondary graduates to be interns in municipalities all across the province.
This year, 15 young workers are getting a taste of what it’s like to administer municipal programs over a year-long period in communities such as Vulcan, the County of Red Deer and the City of Brooks.
“I think, realistically, municipalities are competing in the same labour market as other industries,” say Bill Strickland of Alberta Municipal Affairs. “This helps address some of these needs. It’s a strong partnership between our ministry and municipalities.
As part of the program, Alberta Municipal Affairs provides a $34,000 grant to each municipality that hosts an intern, with $25,000 going towards an interns’ wages and $9,000 going towards expenses such as training. The municipalities chip in a little more money so the interns’ wages keep pace with living costs in the community.
The job allows Olson, who has studied marketing management at BCIT and management at the University of Lethbridge, to use a perfect blend of his skills.
He is developing a policy and procedure binder, applying for grants through Alberta Infrastructure, working on different bylaws and developing a business plan for the Stirling Agricultural Village National Historic Site. In September, he will serve as the returning officer in a byelection.
He says working in a smaller community has given him the ability to do many different projects that a larger city wouldn’t.
Olson, 30, who is originally from Surrey, B.C. moved to Raymond with his wife Cena and daughter Hannah in April. He says Alberta has given him a lot and if he can work at making it better and making better communities than he feels like he’ll have been able to give back a bit.
“A wife, a daughter, a mini-van and a mortgage. Alberta has really domesticated me,” Olson says.
He hopes to eventually become a chief administrator officer in an Alberta community.