Experiential Learning Showcase: Brandon Leger
Nov 14, 2025
Canadore College is committed to providing all students with high-quality experiential learning opportunities. In today’s Experiential Learning Showcase, Brandon Leger shares how experiential learning has helped him grow his skill set, prepare for his future career, and get set up for success in both his personal and professional life.
Brandon was drawn to the Environmental Technology program at Canadore because he knew working on solving the environmental issues in our world was a worthy endeavour. “I feel like an ecologist at heart,” he shares.
Brandon has taken part in a wide variety of experiential learning opportunities at Canadore. For starters, he’s attended every one of the labs made available to him. “All of them were designed to make you think outside the box, as well as getting hands-on experience with tasks employers will want in the field. I love seeing how life thrives in the creeks across North Bay and in the creeks and lakes of Algonquin Park.”
“The trip to the landfill was also highly educational, showing how both microorganisms and humans coexist to treat the waste inside. It was interesting connecting the bacteria at the landfill to the ones in my project from the Permian period in the first year. Each is a part of the genus called methanosarcina that creates methane through their digestion, and their appearance (as well as the increasingly active volcanic activity) led to the worst mass extinction event in the history of the earth: The Great Dying.”
Brandon shares that his experiential learning taught him the importance of keeping an open mind, adapting to unexpected challenges, collaborating effectively, and getting comfortable with making mistakes. “I also learned about the extent that we rely on the environment not only to live in, but also to keep our human existence going! We rely on the microorganisms to clean our wastewater and on the large bodies of water to dilute and process the waste. And a vast amount of carbon storage comes not from trees, but from kelp and diatoms.”
“I’ve now become more aware of the natural world not only in the forests but all around us thanks to the things I’ve learned in the field. For example, when we walk around the city, how many times do we stop to think about the effects the animals or plants are having on OUR ecosystem or how they improve it? I believe my capstone research next year will be on urban ecology since it really fascinates me!”
Brandon speaks enthusiastically about the benefits of experiential learning for all students. “The way you learn from using the equipment and seeing how experts use it provides a huge benefit not only for learning, but for employability in the future! Learning the techniques they use in the field is priceless for an advantage over the competition. In addition, being able to fill the roles of biologist, chemist, and technician gives you vital experience and teaches you how much you’ll like each field.”
“All of that, combined with the experience and insight my Professors bring to the table, have most certainly prepared me for whatever might come my way. I was also one of the students who received their OBBN (Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network) certificate after many hours of studying.”
Brandon emphasizes how he feels his education has been a deeply worthwhile investment. “My experience at Canadore has been amazing. It’s taught me how to be a leader, how to depend on others as much as myself, and most importantly how to grow and become a productive member of society.”
“It’s taught me how to be a leader, how to depend on others as much as myself, and most importantly how to grow and become a productive member of society.”
Brandon shares that his past self would find it hard to imagine the way he’s since stepped up and spearheaded collaboration efforts throughout his college experience. “It’s taught me that everyone benefits when you share ideas. That will guide me wherever life takes me!”
Click here to learn more about Experiential Learning at Canadore. If you are a Canadore student and would like to share your experiential learning story, please contact the Manager of Experiential Learning at jeremie.carreau@canadorecollege.ca.