Speaker Time Start Time End Dialogue Roz Elliot 00:00 01:11 "Welcome to Huron County's Life on the Coast, with our second podcast series focused on workforce recruitment and retention locally, and I'm your host, Roz Elliott. In our third episode, we return in studio with three in -person guests, all of whom are in their first ""ish"" foray into their work life. And as we sit down with our candid discussion with our Gen Zs, or maybe it's Gen Zeds, it's hard to know, I'm reminded of the careful dialogues that our Indigenous First Peoples have led and continue to lead for great understanding. Their wisdom speaks to seven -generation thinking, considering those who came before us and to come after us. And we are grateful for their example and respectful of their traditions and experiences. Well, let's get underway and let's meet our Gen Zeds. I did it. I went Canadian Gen Zeds. We're remaking this Gen Zeds. We have Ethan, Hannah, and Maggie. Welcome, guys. " All guests 01:11 01:13 Thanks for having us today. Thank you. Roz Elliot 01:13 01:46 " It's exciting. Have you been looking? you didn't sleep last night, I bet. Looking forward to this, I can tell. Well, I've got to tell you, I see these three just people who are going to just lead the world by storm. I can already tell. I remember being 18, growing up in here in County, and the common refrain was, ""I can't wait to get out of this burg."" And everyone said that, but look around. I'm back, you're back. what's going on guys so I want to start with you Ethan where did you grow up and where are you back from? " Ethan Hewitt 01:47 02:08 "Well I grew up in the sunny side of Saltford not not too far from Goderich anyway but yeah more or less to grow up in Goderich played recreational sports from the time I could walk until currently yes but yeah, no I've always been a Goderich boy and whether that's a good thing or not we we don't know quite yet but I don't foresee myself leaving anytime soon. " Roz Elliot 02:08 02:14 "So you never had that call I'm getting out I'm leaving this town you just you love it here. " Ethan Hewitt 02:14 02:33 "Well I do I just you can't really ask for much more other than other than moving provinces it's pretty well that's just the best it gets that's for sure you got the beautiful lake and pretty well everything it has to offer is unbelievable especially I spend a lot of time on the lake so it's kind of a necessity for me to live by water. So it was kind of an easy choice for me. " Roz Elliot 02:34 02:35 You could be an ambassedor for tourism. Ethan Hewitt 02:35 02:37 "I should be, I should be." Roz Elliot 02:37 02:45 "I think you should. I'm gonna put that call out. And we're gonna come back and talk in a little bit about your experiences and what you studied and how you managed to do that from here, which is exciting." Ethan Hewitt 02:45 02:45 Awesome. Roz Elliot 02:26 02:50 "And let's talk to Hannah. Hannah, you, where did you grow up?" H 02:51 03:08 "I also grew up on the sunny side of Saltford, not too far from a friend, Ethan, here. about a minute away. And yeah, same thing, Goderich my whole life. I started my education at Colburn School. And yeah, I just love it here." Roz Elliot 03:08 0:03:08 Where did you go away to school? H 03:09 03:11 "I went to Fanshawe College, so in London." E 03:11 03:12 Times two. Roz Elliot 02:12 03:16 "You both went away to Fanshawe, incredible. And what did you study, Hannah?" H 03:16 03:20 "I studied pre -health first, and then I went on to dental assisting." Roz Elliot 03:22 03:23 And did you know that you wanted to do dentistry? H 03:23 03:55 "Um, I always had an interest for it. I had like orthodontics and all that stuff done when I was younger and I was always so fascinated with the dental office and how many different like paths you could take in that industry. There's so many different categories of it. And I always thought that was really cool. I never thought it would be like a boring job. It's always something that is changing and evolving and it's so interesting. And, um, I like to help people kind of with nerves too, and that's kind of a big thing in the dental office. People are always super nervous. So I like to be able to kind of ease that a little bit." Roz Elliot 03:56 04:10 " We're gonna come back to that because I just had my dental cleaning on Monday, and we talked exactly about that. So we're gonna revisit sort of these special things you didn't know you're getting into. And let's go over to our friend Maggie. Maggie, where did you grow up?" M 04:11 04:28 "Yeah, I'm gonna switch things up a little bit. I'm from Ashfield Township. So a little bit farther from Godrich. So I grew up on a farm there. I went to elementary school at Brookside Public School and then I did high school in Godrich and Wingham before taking off for university." Roz Elliot 04:29 04:29 "And did you go to Guelph, I understand?" M 04:30 04:31 "I went to the University of Guelph, yes. " RE 04:32 04:34 "And Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, I believe. " M 04:34 04:38 "Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, major in crop science." Roz Elliot 04:38 04:47 "You are so cool, you are so cool. I love our farm people, I'll tell you I'm a farm girl too. And did you know you'd come back?" M 04:48 04:56 I knew I always wanted to be involved in agriculture and if there's a spot for me in Huron County that's where I'd like to be. Roz Elliot 04:56 04:57 "I love it. And the family farm, are you involved?" M 04:58 04:59 "I am, yes." Roz Elliot 04:59 05:02 "Good, I bet you're thrilled that you are back. " M 05:02 05:10 "Yeah, yeah, it's nice to be home. I've been away for the last few years and even during the summer. So yeah, it's nice to be back home." Roz Elliot 05:11 05:22 "Well, let's start with, we'll continue with you, Maggie. While you were away in Guelph, being away for the first time, what was it like? What did you like about being away and what did you maybe miss about Huron County?" M 05:22 05:50 "Yeah, the first fall was hard not being home for harvest, not being around to help out on the farm that was different for me, but it was nice to get away at the University of Guelph. I met a lot of my peers were kind of in the same boat and so getting to meet farmers from across the province and across the country was really cool and and learn about their experiences with the industry and and be able to learn something and take that back home was was really cool." Roz Elliot 05:50 05:56 " We just finished a series on farm succession planning and we talked to the next gen and you're the next gen of the next gen." M 05:56 05:57 "I am, I am." Roz Elliot 05:58 06:13 "And I have been so admiring of them and just the technological advances and I'll be really intrigued to see what Gen Z does with Huron County's most wonderful asset, our farm. So congratulations on coming back." M 06:13 06:14 "Thank you, thank you." Roz Elliot 06:14 06:18 "And Hannah, what about you, leaving? What was it like? What did you love about London?" H 06:19 07:06 " I've always been like a Goderich girl. I like my small town. I like to be able to get everywhere in five minutes. I like my friends. I like my family. Like I have super close friends and family that I'm so lucky to have. So going away was hard for sure. It's nice 'cause you're only about an hour away. So I was home a lot on the weekends, but being here my whole life, It kind of helped me just be more aware of kind of like how Maggie was saying, just like learning off of other people and different experiences. And it definitely helped me be more confident in the program that I was taking. And this is what I wanted to do after seeing kind of what my college friends were in and doing and all that kind of stuff and just knowing that I was in the right spot. But all over it was a really good experience. and I did really enjoy it." Roz Elliot 07:06 07:22 "That's a really great, I'm gonna underline something you just said, the confidence factor. Going away and realizing you're doing this on your own, meeting others and realizing it's a bigger world out there, it's a big deal to develop that confidence, isn't it?" H 07:22 07:25 "It is, for sure. Yeah, it's been, yeah, it was really cool. " Roz Elliot 07:25 07:29 "And Ethan, what about you? You went to Fanshawe as well. " Ethan Hewitt 07:29 08:43 "I still have to go back acutally. There's always more. I went to so when you start your apprenticeship you obviously get to pick which school you'd like to participate in and I picked I just picked Fanshawe and boys it's been slow trying to get through the process but I've done my first term which last or 2021 and I did my second one last year so now we're just waiting on the last one to finish off but that was a real big eye -opener for me well, I go in and see in just the city life in general and living down there and not having mom to cook suppers. And it's a little bit of a wake up call, one could say. But no, it's met some of my best friends at trade school. And I still keep in touch. And it's fantastic for if you have questions, you want a different opinion from different companies, no problem to send a quick text over. And even the teachers I still talk to, they have no problem texting us and emailing us questions and just being back and forth. It's more you get that college like the scary ""oh I'm going to college"" but it's more or less you make some of the best friends you've ever had and you learn the crazy amount of thinking like oh god what are we getting into but it's more of a hands -on learning experience and that was for me anyway it's kind of what I needed " Roz Elliot 08:44 08:46 "And you you studied you're studying electrical. " Ethan Hewitt 09:00 09:03 "Yes. Yeah. So I'm 309A it's like construction maintenance and so it's the version of residential commercial and industrial. So there's like a 442 they call it so it's just industrial but young I might as well go for the 309 they call it so." Roz Elliot 09:03 09:04 Sounds like you've got a lot of options Ethan Hewitt 09:04 09:06 Yeah it is it's good which is scary but-- Roz Elliot 09:07 09:16 "Scary is good scary is good. I wanted to tell you and did you know that's what you wanted to do growing up? Did you kind of have an idea that I'm really drawn to this?" Ethan Hewitt 09:16 09:46 "I knew I was going to do trades and I talked to Larry Park once upon a time when I was in grade nine or so and I kind of just started to found myself around him and he just gave me all the things that I have the fortune or I'm fortunate enough to be able to tell the kids that ask me questions and Larry is very straight to the point and told me exactly what to expect and what he does every day and he had me come along for a couple days to show me what he does and I think that was a real real game changer for me picking this trade as a career." Roz Elliot 09:47 10:10 " Expectations I'm glad you said that. That is a big deal and let's talk about expectations in terms of you know co -op offers an opportunity to get a window into something and you know Sometimes it's good to experience something and realize that's not for me to rule something out rather than just rule it in. It confirmed for you, Ethan, that this is what you wanted to do. " Ethan Hewitt 10:10 10:47 "Yep, exactly. I started my co -op with Clark Multi -Trade, and four and a half years later, I'm still there. I had a couple of pit stops on the way, but I'm back. But I started in, what, February, and then maybe the end of January, but COVID really put that to a halt mid -March, I believe it was. But nonetheless, it was great to kind of see what job site's all about and what to expect. So I didn't get much of a co -op, but I really am happy with what I did. And of course, it worked out in the long run. I'm back to where it started." Roz Elliot 10:48 10:50 "Good for you. And Hannah, did you do co -op?" Hannah Pollock 10:51 11:08 " I did yeah I actually was lucky enough I got my co -op at the same place that I'm still working at now so I did my high school co -op with Market Square Dental and my college co -op was the same place so they actually hired me in high school which was really great and I just had to finish my schooling and they got to go back " Roz Elliot 11:08 11:10 So you walked into a full -time job. Hannah Pollock 11:10 11:35 "Pretty much yeah I think it's really important at a co -op to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward because people are watching owners, bosses, mentors, they are paying attention and it's really important I think that's why I am where I am today to just make sure you're showing up every day and really putting your best foot forward when you're in a co -op so I got I got really lucky. " Roz Elliot 11:35 11:44 "It sounds like they got really lucky too I think I think uh I think it's gonna go both ways there. And Maggie, for you, co -op -ish?" Maggie Durnin 11:44 12:07 "Yeah, so I did a co -op term in high school, but I did it over the summer. And so I co -opped with Brussels Agrimart. And so I was in the field and scouting crops and staging crops and giving recommendations and just kind of learning all the basics about agriculture and crop production. And yeah, fell in love with it. " Roz Elliot 12:08 12:09 "So, so there was there was no question for you." MG 12:09 12:09 Agriculture is the way to go. Roz Elliot 12:10 12:14 "Wow, I love that answer. I love whatever you choose is the right answer, isn't it?" Ethan Hewitt 12:14 12:16 "That is true. No, no wrong answers." RE 12:16 12:40 "There is no wrong because you can always change it tomorrow, right? You can always do something else. Well, let's talk about, you know, the world is your oyster. When you think about being in your early 20s, I mean, everything's ahead for you guys. And you've picked this workplace path, this is where you're at. Maggie, it sounds like it found you, it's in your DNA, and you're happy to be back in Huron County. Where are you working now?" Maggie Durnin 12:40 12:59 "Right now, I work with Pioneer. So that's a seed company, so they grow seed and then sell it to farmers to plant and grow. And so I work with the sales team covering a large portion of Ontario, actually, but I do call Huron County home. So yeah." Roz Elliot 12:59 13:00 So you're in sales? Maggie Durnin 13:00 13:01 I am. Yeah. Roz Elliot 13:01 13:03 And was that what you expected? Maggie Durnin 13:03 13:19 "Not necessarily. I expected Ag of some sort and crop science is what I studied. And so something in the crop production realm. And so so right now that looks like sales and and that might change in the future. But I'm definitely on the right path." Roz Elliot 13:19 13:22 So something to learn in that area. Maggie Durnin 13:22 13:24 "Yes, yes, absolutely." Roz Elliot 13:24 13:40 " I found working in corporate that there are so many opportunities just within the same place to learn how a business works. And the more you move around within or different companies, your pathway just, you know, there's there's no end to it." Maggie Durnin 14:40 13:42 "Yeah, absolutely." Roz Elliot 13:42 13:43 So you excited for what could come? Maggie Durnin 13:43 13:43 "I am, I am." Roz Elliot 13:44 13:59 " Yeah, That's great, that's great. Well, let me ask you about sort of coming back home and navigating the workplace. You're older now, you're not high school co -op kids anymore, you're adults, you're adults." Ethan Hewitt 13:59 14:00 That's also scary. Roz Elliot 14:00 14:18 "It's a little scary, I think that's fair. You know, it's scary in your fifties too, if I can tell you, it's so scary when you show up at a new job for the first time. What was it like showing up and learning a new workplace, Ethan. For you, you were kind of familiar with them, but can you remember back, like, was it nerve -wracking?" Ethan Hewitt 14:18 15:27 "Well, I did, it was, I had a little funny experience. I had, so I did my co -op at Clark, it lasted not too long. It was just myself, him and another apprentice. Very small outfit at the time. And then when I first started at JMR, I did, I had my wisdom teeth out that Friday thinking I'd recover in a day and it ended up just kind of being a nightmare and started at JMR on the Monday and that's the first time I've really ever lived out of town and didn't really know what I was expecting I pull into the parking lot there in Exeter and there's 300 cars there I'm like oh god we're we're getting into it here and then going up and seeing a huge I was a super school pre -school to grade 12 like a three -story school and I'm like Oh, God, me, I haven't ate food in three days. And so that was my first day was probably the hardest of my apprenticeship yet. But no, it was a really cool experience. Just the first day jitters. And I still get that it's going to a new site. Like even today, I go to, I'm going up to Tobermory tomorrow. And it's, I still have that little, that stomach butterfly. Because you don't, you don't know what you're expecting for the week. And that's, which, and that's what I love about it. it. You don't have any clue What the day or the week brings." Roz Elliot 15:27 15:32 Did you have sort of a buddy or a mentor in that first first time? Ethan Hewitt 15:32 16:00 "I had my boss now actually really helped me out Ian Clark He he helped me out finding like as the co -op was ending and no one really knew what was going on. I had I had a lot of questions and he answered them and then Getting set up like with the girls at the Center for Employment and Learning really helped out finding especially with all the paperwork that's not, not the easiest to navigate. So between the CEL and then my boss work for now is really, really easy to get into it. So I give them a lot of credit for it." Roz Elliot 16:00 16:31 "That's incredible. Well, that's one thing they don't tell you about when you start a job. It's, you think you're going to be doing what you're doing, but there's all these other things that happen, like there's administration, there's, you know, your HR benefits. So much training. So much training and just how to navigate a company and the people. Hannah, for you, you knew them as high school, but was there any first time jitters showing up that first day as a real full -time employee? I'm here now." Hannah Pollock 16:32 17:50 "100%, the expectations are so much higher once you're a certified dental assistant, right? So you walk in and at Fanshawe, We were really lucky. We had a lot of hands -on experience. We did in -person clinics like for weeks and weeks before we went to actual, to our actual jobs. And it was really great experience, but you walk in and because like I said earlier, there's so many different portals of dentistry and I work at a general dental office, a family dental office. So I kind of had an ideal you're going to be doing like fillings and things like that, right? You have a general idea and you walk in. And it's just, they're like, okay, like sit in the chair and off we go. And I'm like, this is great. I'm so excited. But also I have no idea what you need. Like I just showed up here and they were so great, so patient same thing. They, because they knew me beforehand, they had a lot of confidence in me, which of course really helps. But it was definitely Eye -opening to just be sat in the chair and to assist procedures all day and They just they were great with it same as Ethan kind of they were just super easy any questions They're super patient like it was it was eye -opening for sure, but it was really great And I think that's why I'm so much more confident in my job now." Ethan Hewitt 17:50 17:53 " Do they ever stick out their hand and you just have to know what they want? " Hannah Pollock 17:53 17:58 "All the time That's how my whole job is they put at their hand and you have to know what they want. It's like greeting minds all day." Roz Elliot 17:58 18:06 " You do have a very similar, yeah, experience, don't you? Like, okay, hand me this, hand me this." Hannah Pollock 18:06 18:29 "And the fun thing about dentistry, fun, stressful, whatever you wanna call it, you never know, right? So we could be doing something and then it turns into something completely different because you never truly know what's on the inside of a tooth until you get in there. So it can change in a heartbeat and then you have to set up for a whole new procedure or you have to Yeah, just on turn of a dime. " Roz Elliot 18:30 18:46 "So well the other thing we talk about a lot is it's you're working with people Yeah, like you're doing your craft, but you're working with people you mentioned something Hanna that my dental my hygienist mentioned to me this week Which is one of the biggest things is is meeting people where they are and sometimes it's fear." Hannah Pollock 18:46 19:00 "Absolutely, at least three times a day i'll be how's your day going and they're like well it was good until i got here and i'm like i yeah i completely get it like" Roz Elliot 19:00 19:14 "Now, maggie for you showing up again you you know the drill but what was it like like sort of you know your craft you know crops you know agriculture probably better than anyone what's it like working with the different people in a different, maybe department that you weren't expecting?" Maggie Durnin 19:14 20:20 "Yeah, so last summer, I had an internship with Pioneer, actually, as a sales agronomy intern. And I covered Niagara to St. Thomas ish that area, which is very far from home and very different from home. And so that was eye -opening and I learned a lot about agriculture. I am really grateful for here on county and the environment we have, but yeah that was that was really cool and so I kind of dipped my feet into the sales world a little bit through that role and then I'm back with them now, but in a different role and in a different area and more on the sales Um, so yeah, just learning more about how the company works and, um, and the different people that, that I get to work with and the resources that I have access to and, um, yeah, that's been really great. Um, and yeah, working with people and working with crops and working with the weather. Um, so." Roz Elliot 20:20 20:32 "Three Unknowns? Yeah. For sure. What could go go wrong. What could possibly go wrong? And did you have a mentor? Or is there someone at work that you sort of go to? " Maggie Durnin 20:32 21:09 "Yeah, yeah, there's there's a couple people within the company and also just in the industry. And, and even at university, we had some really great profs that helped us along. And a lot of the people that I work with now went to the University of Guelph also. And so a lot of the profs kind of knew Who I was talking about if I talked about work and so that's it's really nice to be in such a small community Everybody kind of knows everybody and everybody's willing to help out and if I ever have a question You know a text or a phone call or an email and and someone's always happy to happy to answer it So that's been that's been really great." Roz Elliot 21:09 21:21 "Would you Say when did you feel? The first moment where you thought, I belong here. I know what I'm doing. I'm not an imposter. You know that feeling?" Maggie Durnin 21:21 21:58 "Yeah, yeah. So with my job, they, I do a lot of traveling. And so they gave me a truck to drive. And so while I'm sitting there waiting for my boss to show up to take me to my new truck, that was really strange. But, but after a couple days, kind of getting comfortable and and meeting some of the people that I get to work with and I kind of found a groove and kind of knew a little bit more about what to expect in the role and and how how things would go moving forward and yeah then it you could like take a breath and knew that I was in the right place so." Roz Elliot 21:58 22:18 " I have to say for for those listening Ethan's eyes just lit up when you said you got a truck. Jealousy. I can see the jealousy, Ethan. Do you remember when you felt like I get it? I know what I'm doing. I don't have to ask every question. I can problem solve this. " Ethan Hewitt 22:18 23:20 "Well, I've really been known to not really ask much questions, right? Oh, my God. That's how I learned. I asked a ridiculous amount of questions and I don't regret it. I drive people absolutely insane, but it's almost a bad word for it, but I milk people for everything they got so then I can learn from the things that they've experienced, but in their apprenticeship. And I just ask and ask and ask and it's benefitted me. As I'm done, I finished, so I'm done all my electrical hours now. And so I'm kind of being put on a roll where you'll have younger, new kids asking you the questions. And it's the first set you go on where there's no, there's no one else to lean on, which was a Big eye -opener because you have to be the guy to answer the questions So that was a that was an eye -opener for me And just because you work for four years and you always know if you ever have any questions There's always gonna be someone walking around or one text away And that's the other thing you don't want to bug too many people now because as you're getting to that That part where you're done now you you are the person that people need to be asking and not You asking them so that's that was a real eye -opener and --" Roz Elliot 23:20 23:35 " That's a great, That's great. And I love that you asked so many questions. That is such a great tactic. And Hannah, would you say that you had a moment of ah -ha where you thought, ""Yep, I belong.""" Hannah Pollock 23:35 "Um, I don't know. So in dentistry, we take, I don't know if you know, like impressions. So you put the gel in your mouth and it kind of gives us a mold of your teeth. No one likes them, I know." Hannah Pollock 24:57 "I'm kind of the impression girl at work. So people are always People are always thrilled to see me coming. So it was about maybe a month or two in, and they had booked a whole bunch of impressions. They're like, ""We want you to take them."" And I'm like, ""Me?"" And they're like, ""Yeah, you can do it, right?"" And I'm like, ""I mean, technically, by myself."" Like by myself and they're like, yeah, okay. And so I went in and my patient was so lovely and I'm like, sorry. I'm like kind of nervous and they're like, oh, it's fine. People are so good about it. Um, and I took the first one and for the rest of the day I feel like ever since that moment. I've just been comfortable and people are So just happy, like when you're happy to be there and open and honest about like, oh, I've been doing this now, I've been doing it for a year, but I've been doing this for three weeks. So we're just gonna kind of get through it together and we'll see where it takes us. And they're like, great, sounds good. As long as you're open and honest, I think people are really nice. And that was kind of my moment where I was like, this is where I wanna be." Roz Elliot 24:57 25:29 "That's great. And you exactly described that feeling of I figured it out, I'm figuring it out and I can do this. That's a big deal and it happens at every age starting a new job is something that you're not used to and I'm interested we all had a really first job and by first I mean we were probably very young in high school. Some people that's babysitting. I worked at a golf course. I think we have that in common." Ethan Hewitt 25:29 25:30 "We do, that was my first job as well. " Roz Elliot 25:30 25:32 "Your first job was a golf course, which golf course?" Ethan Hewitt 25:32 25:34 "At the Goderich Sunset, just north of 21." Hannah Pollock 25:34 25:35 "Me too, me too. " Ethan Hewitt 25:35 25:37 Everyone seems to go there once. Roz Elliot 25:37 25:43 "It's a rite of duty. What, how did that experience shape you? Do you think it gave you any insights?" Ethan Hewitt " Well, it was my first ever interview and that was kind of a key part of a skill that the Center for Employment also helped me with is some of the questions that to expect and how to prepare accordingly. And so I got the job that day and then started the spring cleanup and working as a team was something that I haven't really, I haven't really had to do that. So obviously it's different than playing hockey like sports is you're working with a group of people having the same goal as obviously at the golf course getting it ready on time and knowing No one that you have to get you have weathers if it's such rain and none of us like to work in the rain So we had I learned team building and then running equipment was as relevant to what I do now at work We do like we dig in a lot of pipe and we run heavy machinery and that was kind of a Cool experience and introduction into it and low low stress at the golf course which was nice And especially having a good boss. I had no problems at all and I worked there, I still, I even went back this year. It's been, I think this would be my 10th year of just helping out because they treated me so well that if they ever need a hand, I've absolutely no problem with going to help out because the favor's come and go, so." Roz Elliot 26:51 26:55 "You never leave the Sunset Golf Course, I think we know that. I know, we're alumni." Ethan Hewitt 26:55 27:17 "And I think, when I applied at JMR, they needed a reference letter and the golf course were only one and the girl at JMR actually called me back to say how, she's like, ""This is unbelievable."" And I give credit to the golf course with Kirk and Ashley and they pretty well got me my first apprenticeship just with that reference letter so I really, I hold that to them a lot. I just thank them." Roz Elliot 27:17 27:28 "That's Wonderful. And yeah, that first job, that first person who sees something in you, it's pretty special. Now Hannah, for you, where was your first sort of school job?" Hannah Pollock 27:28 28:47 " I worked at Shanahan's Quality Meats and Deli up on the square and I started there when I was like just barely 13 I was a baby yeah and they really needed help so I went in on my first day and Chachi and him was there and he's like how old are you I'm like I'm 13 he's like okay we can make that work here's an apron here's a hat, we'll see you Monday."" And I was like, ""Okay."" And I think working at that place was probably one of the best work experiences I've ever had. They were so good to me. I worked there for six years and just phenomenal people to work with and be surrounded by and to really help shape me as a young adult, as a teenager and young adult into the person I am today and being like the customer service aspect of it and being Good with people. I credit it all to them and that place because it's it was so busy all the time It still is and I'm grateful for that and Yeah, just learning how to navigate Handling people all day for long periods of time. I credit it all to there. It was an amazing spot." Roz Elliot 28:47 28:49 What a shout out to Shanahans. Hannah Pollock 28:49 28:52 "Yeah, I love that place." Roz Elliot 28:53 28:58 "Wow, we're going to give you a wonderful brownie point. And for you, Maggie, what was your sort of first, first job?" Maggie Durnin 28:58 30:14 "Well, I guess that's kind of when I first left Huron County. My first job was at the Point Clark Lighthouse as a tour guide, dealing with people. Oh my goodness. Yeah, like Ethan said, my first interview, I'd never sat in an interview or an interview setting before. And so, so that was, you know, something new that is really, really important to experience. And developing interview skills is, is really important moving forward. And so I was really grateful for that. And yeah, like working with people. Like I said, I study crops, but then I deal with people a lot. And so having that first experience, working with people and, and, you know, trying to explain things and, you know, maybe they're not having a good day or they climb the lighthouse to look at the view, but they're wondering why they can't see anything. And you have to explain that if it's foggy, you can't see anything. And, you things like that. And so, um, yeah, like, I mean, I don't work in the tourism industry at all, but, but I learned a lot from that first job. Um, and a lot of those skills are transferable, um, to a lot of what I do now." Roz Elliot 30:14 31:06 "So that's the key, right? Transferable. You, you hit the word. It's transferable skills. And again, it's part of your DNA. It feels like for each three of you that there is something in you that these these first businesses saw in you, nurtured in you, and you took it further. So good on all those. We'll do a shout out to all those businesses that hire young students and believe in them. - Take a chance. - Take a chance, right? - Totally, the chance, yeah. - What is really impressive about you three is your confidence. Sometimes, have you ever heard the idea or people say, I don't want to be adulting and it's sometimes people is late in their late 20s or even 30 you guys strike me that you've been adulting since you're 18 are you are you like these is Gen Z's or this super confidence generation that like let me at it? " Ethan Hewitt 31:06 31:07 Well I wouldn't go that far Hannah Pollock 31:07 31:12 Depends on the day depends when you catch us yeah Roz Elliot 31:12 31:17 But you guys feel like you're ready to take the world by storm and you're ready to adult. Ethan Hewitt 31:17 31:20 "Absolutely, I'm excited. " Roz Elliot 31:20 31:27 "Yeah. And you're driving all over the countryside, Maggie. Oh yeah. Like that's a big deal that you trusted with that." Maggie Durnin 31:27 31:34 "Yeah, they gave me a truck and the keys and they said, here's the card to pay for fuel. Have atter." Roz Elliot 31:34 So Huron County. Roz Elliot 32:09 "Um okay. Yeah, this is gonna be my segue. So, you travel to a lot of different communities. And there's a wonderful man I've interviewed many times, Professor Wayne Codwell, who's at Guelph. And he used to say or says often, if you've been to one rural community, you've been to one rural community. So Huron county might be rural, but we're different than Bruce, we're different from Gray, we're different from Middlesex, you name it. What for each of you makes here in County special and unique that you're like, I'm glad this is home. Maggie, thoughts?" Maggie Durnin 32:09 32:29 "The people that I get to interact with on a day -to -day basis, the community events that we have, the fall fairs and the tractor pulls and everything going on, yeah, there's just really great people in Huron County and I'm really glad to call that home. " Roz Elliot 32:29 32:48 "Yeah, fall festivals, you'd say Thresher, you would have had me at Thresher. (laughing) - Winnebago Festival. There is a lot, I love getting in my car and just going down a different road, going down to Goshen and hitting Zurich or what name you, what about for you, what's special about Huron County for you?" Hannah Pollock 32:48 33:14 "Well, my family's been in Huron County for ever and ever, so it's just always kind of felt like home and especially once I left for school that homesick feeling like nothing could ever replace Goderich for me and it's just so beautiful and like Maggie said the sense of community anywhere you walk in you know somebody like you're never you're never alone in Goderich which is always really nice. " Roz Elliot 33:14 33:15 "That's great and Ethan, for you? " Ethan Hewitt 33:15 34:04 "This is pretty well summed up the community after seeing dad working at Zher's for all the community events they went through or the years like after the tornado and all the community coming together was kind of very very cool to see. There's just so much community involvement with everything like as in even at the Flyers game yesterday night there was all the kids that are now 30, 35 that played when they like when the Flyers just started coming back to support the kids now and they're excited of what the team's doing and I just find that cool that no matter where you go some of these people are living and Lucan, London, they always come back home because they want to support the local sporting team or the local fire department. There's always something going on around here where people, even if they move away, come back to, which I find very special. There's no leave it out the door and see it later. There's always a factor of when are we coming back for the next event, which I find very cool." Roz Elliot 34:04 34:30 "Yeah, it's a jewel in our crown, isn't it? I came back to and I'm glad to be back. Now one thing about coming back You did go away, and you've had some experiences. You've met people you all said you've met some great friends The world's a little smaller now you realize that there's a world out there Are you glad that you did that and you realize that there's this big space and you've been part of it Does that make sense? Yeah, Maggie." Maggie Durnin 34:30 35:38 "Yeah, absolutely. Yeah Guelph is not that far away but also felt like years away sometimes and and I felt really far from home sometimes but yeah getting to meet so many people and and especially in the agriculture industry if I talk to someone for a couple of minutes we probably know some of the same people or have been to some of the same things and so yeah finding that sense of community when I was away from home was really great but yeah and you build a sense of community there yes absolutely yeah some great friends that I met through school and and mentors and we did a lot of a lot of events at school with alumni coming back and talking about their experiences in the workforce and so yeah we have a lot of great connections through the university and yeah built a great community and And we're still in contact all the time talking about stuff or if I drive by somebody's farm or something I'll give them a call or See how things are going in their part of the world. And yeah, we're all still really close." Roz Elliot 35:39 35:59 " I find on LinkedIn I I still see people from my first job in London and in the States and we keep in touch and You do you call each other up and you help each other out and you give each other advice. And that's the beautiful part of what you've done is you're building these connections. Do you feel the connections, Ethan?" Ethan Hewitt 36:00 36:22 "Oh, absolutely. It's just, even working, I worked for a residential company out of Goderich and even he would have friends that he went to trade school with years ago come back when we need help and they'd be willing to come over, drive two, three hours to come help out just because they had that connection from learning together at college or even just having the same experience at the same time sure helps because you can work with each other to try to learn more. " Roz Elliot 36:23 36:43 "That's great. I have a question for you that's a little out there. I've been listening to a Freakinomics podcast and it has a group of people who get together for dinner about once a month like you guys and they all talk about what's my job and they said most of us didn't realize what each other did. Do your friends know what you do and understand it?" Hannah Pollock 36:43 37:23 " I think a lot of them understand for sure but sometimes I come home and I'll be telling like parts of my day or and my best friend will be like you did what and I'm like yeah like it's what I do and she's like oh and I feel like I feel that way about everybody's job like I just love hearing about it. I think it's so interesting that we all spend so much time together and then but so much of our lives are so different and going to work every day is so such a big part of your life right so being able to share that with my friends and family and have hearing their experiences about their line of work and everything is always my favorite part of my day " Roz Elliot 37:23 37:27 "So they never say you had your hands in someone's mouth and just yeah" Hannah Pollock 37:27 37:34 Like I think they understand that part It's like the extraction parts that they don't really like. Roz Elliot 37:34 37:42 "Yeah, and working sort in a corporate role, Maggie, I mean, that can be lost on people. Your friends get it?" Maggie Durnin 37:42 38:37 "Yeah. So like, when I talk to my friends from school and they know that I work for Pioneer, a lot of them, their experience as Pioneer is they're buying and growing Pioneer seed. Um, but I'm like sometimes I'm working directly with farmers and sometimes I'm working with the Eastern Canada sales leads and so kind of everywhere in between and so yeah I do a lot of different things you know sometimes I'm moving seed between sales reps and sometimes I'm representing the company at a job fair and sometimes I'm running a survey at a farm show or I'm at a conference really involved and so yeah doing a whole bunch of different things and and some of those things when I'm talking to people that that even know a lot about the company or are surprised about some of the things I'm doing and and don't realize you know kind of what's all involved in in the role and in the company so yeah." Roz Elliot 38:37 39:01 "You're the group that I always like to hang out at with at work because you just see things that other people don't see just through a wonderful new lens. Let me ask you this, you brought it up, Ethan. You're now the go -to person now, and at a young age, but what advice are you giving youngins behind you? Maybe five, eight years behind you as you're starting to think about what's out there for me in this new economy?" Ethan Hewitt 39:01 40:07 "Right, no one, that's I do also, there is also on every job site obviously the like the head foreman's, which is of course, a little nice cushion of backup plan there. But for the new kids like on co -op, I tell them the good and the bad because I have a lot of experience working in like huge high rises in Toronto and then all the way down to doing like chicken barns. So it's, it's nice to tell them exactly what they need to hear because they get pushed. Hey, this is this, you're going to make a lot of money. This is you're done. But that's not the truth. They come do it. They've been pushed to do it. And then they get told to, or they get told to do this and they don't like it and then it never works out. So it's, it's nice to tell them exactly what they need to hear because they get pushed. Hey, this is this, you're going to make a lot of money. This is you're done. But that's not the truth. They come do it. They've been pushed to do it. And then they get told to, or they get told to do this and they don't like it and then it never works out. So I'm happy that I can tell the new generation of people coming up that this is what it's going to be like. Here's the good and the bad, which a lot of people leave out. And, um, I think that's very key. And there's been a couple of people that come, I tell them exactly what we're doing and how it's, your apprenticeship is going to work out. And the trade school is not easy. The math is really hard. Like I had to get help, like extra help, like Gordon Gillespie was great. Like there's people like that was great. And they say, Yeah, I don't think this is for me. And that's, that's great. They come in, they figured out in their co -op. And I think that's the whole purpose of the co -op." Roz Elliot 40:07 40:27 "I think you're right. And so for you, Hannah, tell me what advice would you give to someone maybe you have a younger cousin, or do you have a younger sister or brother? What advice do you tell them about thinking about the career opportunities ahead for them?" Hannah Pollock 40:27 41:53 "I think it's really important to explore all your options. So if you really want to go into health care, a lot of people think nursing, and that's it. That's health care. And I love nurses. But health care is so much broader than that and it's so important especially in a small community to just be open and aware of just kind of like Ethan said the good and the bad of the job. People think of dental assisting as perfect. I'll go in, it's a nine to five, I'll do this and that and then I'll go home. But there's days where you come home and you're exhausted because people are No, they're not happy to see you when you get there and you have to be the person that's willing to uplift them especially as the assistant and make them feel comfortable and safe and confident in us as well as themselves to be able to sit through a three -hour appointment and do all that and I think it's just really important to be aware of every aspect before going into something and I think that's why co -op is so great. I think it's really important if you're looking to do something in the healthcare realm especially to go in, do a co -op and make sure that you understand the good, the bad, the ugly." Roz Elliot 41:54 42:32 "That's brilliant and you brought a thought to me and it's something Ethan said as well. When we go into the roles that we think we wanna do, like maybe I wanna be a teacher, maybe I wanna go into trades, we think about the idyllic part of it, right? No one tells an accountant that they're going to have to close the books every three months and probably work till midnight. No one tells a teacher maybe you might deal with some parents who are helicopter parents. There's always that part of the job that you're not expecting. And you just talked about it and Ethan you you did to those high rises as anyone telling people about the safety risks, right? Like that's scary, Right?" Ethan Hewitt 42:32 42:40 "Well, when someone hits a water main not five minutes before you're done for your shift and then you're there till 3 a .m. kind of idea. It's just, you gotta expect the unexpected at that point." Roz Elliot 42:40 42:55 "Yeah, there's that part of the roles that we don't think about going in. We're a little blind. Maggie, for you, you're driving, you're putting on a lot of windshield time. You didn't expect that, I don't think?" Maggie Durnin 42:55 43:39 "Not maybe as much as I am driving. Yeah, I've been on the road quite a bit. Yeah, and I mean, I was lucky enough to grow up on a farm. And so I understand that sometimes the of year are busier than others. But yeah, when you, when you have a lot of long days in a row, that's kind of tiring and draining on you. And, and then I get home and jump in a tractor and just keep on going and so yeah that was really eye -opening and you know I kind of knew that I would have some long days but but when they all start to pile up yeah the exhaustion wasn't something that was say mentioned in my interview kind of thing so " Roz Elliot 43:40 43:50 "It never is yeah never is let me ask you a couple last questions here. What have you struggled the most with, Maggie? I'll start with you. What's been the most challenging?" Maggie Durnin 43:50 45:06 "Sure. I went to school and studied crops, not people, but I deal with a lot of people. I don't know if you've ever met an old farmer before. Might have a father like that, yeah. But that's a lot of what I'm dealing with is, You know, you're stressed because of weather conditions and you're stressed because of commodity prices and you're stressed because of, you know, interest rates and land rent and, and all of these things and, and they see me come as, you know, someone from the seed company and, and, you know, a lot of, a lot of people that farm don't have a lot of opportunity sometimes depending on the time of the year to, to see other people and you know maybe talk about something that isn't farming or talk about farming and and all the challenges that you've been going through and so sometimes I am that person and I just have to kind of accept that and just let them let them vent for a little bit and and understand they're not mad at me they're mad at the weather but yeah just being accepting of that and and trying to, you know, not take it personally. That's a big thing." Roz Elliot 45:06 45:12 "That's very observant, good on ya, good on ya. And Hannah, for you, did you find anything challenging?" Hannah Pollock 45:12 45:48 "Kind of like how Maggie said, sometimes people are just having a bad day and it's not on you, but it's, sometimes it does come home with you and it brings the mood down a little bit it's it's exhausting but um yeah I think it's mainly just just that just people I love people and I've always been a people person but um yeah when people are having a rough day they definitely love to bring it into the dental office and I think that's something people don't think about it's definitely not something they teach you in school." Roz Elliot 45:49 46:16 "Yeah you're in a role that's very much like an empath Right? Yeah. Yeah, you feel what is going on with people. I always think about that in certain professions where you're in people's space Yeah, you are really in people's space. Really in people's space. And so yeah, people are on guard and good for you for recognizing what that means. Again, not something I think people tell you or that you necessarily would know the gate, right?" Hannah Pollock 46:16 46:21 " For sure. Especially as an assistant. They'll tell you things that they're not going to tell their dentist, right? " Roz Elliot 46:22 42:23 "So true. Like I don't floss, right? " Hannah Pollock 42:24 46:28 "Well, they'll never admit that to me. Sometimes I will, but I gotta go out and pull it out of them." Roz Elliot 46:28 46:36 "I love all the graft you give us, by the way. I've really sucked up. I loved it, Ethan. Ethan, what about you? What did you find perhaps the most challenging?" Ethan Hewitt 46:36 47:40 "The most challenging part even I still deal with is the the fact that you can't help some things. So like last Thursday was home day and we had a whole bunch to do before we came home. And the skid steer track blew out. And we are at the point of Tobermory and we're worried that we're gonna find a skid steer track at six o 'clock in the morning. So by the time we source it is the closest one was in Walton at McGavin. So now we have to send a new apprentice to go grab these tracks and that gets super stressful. Everyone's upset because it's going to cost a lot of money, but there's nothing you can do about it. So make sure you keep your you got to be thinking of the next steps. Once say this gets your track comes back, or what can we do in the meantime? Well, and that's just an example. But every day, it seems to be something not or communication between the different trades is not there. And you're some people aren't ready for this. and some people are they're started and you're not ready for them so it's just that part was the the most challenging and I think it will be until I retire so " Roz Elliot 47:40 47:41 Good problem solving though. ES 47:41 47:43 It is you learn quick you do Roz Elliot 47:43 47:45 And you learn collaboration too exactly yeah Ethan Hewitt 47:45 48:20 "It's working with the other trades uh the the masonry block layers is really what that's not teaches you in a hurry because they uh they put up their wall and if you don't get your blocks in their block and they keep going, they're not stopping, they're not pulling off blocks. So you've got to be, the communication has to be unbelievable and that's where, that's where the battle of the trades begins because there's always fights between, because you're trying to do other things and then you miss your job and then you're, you've got to figure out, you've got to bribe them to go back in time to put your box in and then redo what they just did, which is, causes tension on the job site, but yeah. Yeah." Roz Elliot 48:20 " You just described what happens in every single organization. My job is the most important job." Roz Elliot 48:44 "Welcome to the workforce, guys. Welcome to it. Is there anything we didn't chat about that you think is really important for people know either about being back in Huron County, never leaving, about first roles, anything we didn't chat about? Anyone just jump in? Just give me a look." Maggie Durnin 48:44 49:33 "I worked, So I was in a four year program and the summer after second year and the summer after third year I lived in my student house in Guelph and worked for different companies and covered a different geography and I worked in different parts of the industry to, you know, not necessarily say this is what I want to do but also this is what I don't want to do. That's also really important to figure out and the sooner you can figure that out the easier things get and so I spent two summers away worked in different parts of the industry worked with different people and that really opened up that you know there is more than just Huron County but I am so grateful to have Huron County and I was so happy to be able to come back." Roz Elliot 49:33 00:00 "Well That's a good word to end on. Grateful for Huron County. What do you think guys? Do we agree? We like it. We like it, Meg. You brought us home. You brought us home. Well, I want to thank you all for being home with us here in Huron County and for having this opportunity to chat with you. I've learned a lot and I have great faith and confidence that Gen Z is delivering and is going to be a really great contributor and I can't wait to see what you guys do with the economy and community. It's yours to shape and I want to let you know that I'm cheering for you. I think everyone's cheering for you. We need you. We need your bravery and your courage and your inspiration and know like we talked about before our elders and our ancestors, generational thinking, they're They're counting on you too, and we can't wait to see what generations after you do. So you're the teachers. You are the future teachers, guys, so big responsibility up for it. I think so. I think so. I think you do. I think you do. We will be back with our next episode, and we will have a 180 perspective with another demographic, And that's our Huron County retirees. And what does a transition look like in exiting the workforce or perhaps even jumping back in? I for one can't seem to stay put. I love coming back in here and getting to talk with all these incredible people. If you missed our first two episodes, you can catch up at Huron County's Economic Developments website. And I hope you do. There has been some great conversations and more to come. This podcast is funded in part by the Ontario government through the Rural Economic Development Program and the County of Huron. The views expressed in this podcast are not those of the province or the county."