Image Description: Red and white background, with a faint outline of the map of Canada. There is a photo of Robert is wearing black glasses and smiling at the camera, Text Reads: Robert Strachan Emerging Professional
Robert has 15 years of experience as a certified Red Seal boilermaker and finds great satisfaction in his role as a tradesman. In addition to his technical expertise, he has long been interested in disaster and emergency management. However, various life circumstances had previously hindered him from fully pursuing this interest until the onset of the pandemic provided him with the opportunity to explore it further. Faced with the uncertainty of his project’s postponement, Robert decided to embrace the unknown and took a leap of faith. He enrolled in several courses and ultimately gained acceptance into the Disaster and Emergency Management Diploma Program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). Now, Robert is a proud alumnus of that program.
Reflecting on his experience at NAIT, Robert noted that his studies have enhanced his leadership skills and provided him with a fresh perspective. This shift in viewpoint has even changed the way he approaches travel. For example, during his trip to Costa Rica, he began to consider potential evacuation routes in the event of a tsunami. He also learned the importance of empathy and active listening, realizing that it can be easy to overlook the needs of others outside of a disaster or emergency situation. Additionally, the program not only allowed him to expand his professional network but also offered valuable insights through the experiences and perspectives of his fellow students.
Robert’s biggest influence in pursuing a career in disaster and emergency management was his mother, a dedicated registered nurse. He recalled how, during her retirement, she and her colleagues traveled the world to volunteer their services to assist those in need. Robert deeply admired her unwavering passion for helping others. His mother supported his decision to return to school, and if she were here today, Robert shared that she would have taken great pride in his commitment to completing his studies.
Robert said he enjoys developing emergency response plans. As a skilled tradesperson, he truly appreciates the importance of hazard analysis to ensure safety and preparedness in any work environment. He also underscores the importance of understanding the diverse backgrounds and experiences among emerging professionals to be able to effectively navigate and manage disaster and emergencies in all four stages.
In his spare time, Robert and his wife care for their 120 foster kittens and puppies. He also has a passion for travel and, in the past year and a half, has visited Costa Rica, Aruba, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Italy, now that his children are young adults.
Robert can be reached at LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-strachan-524813a2/ and his email address is rstrachan21@gmail.com.
The Emerging Professional Spotlight is a series designed to highlight and uplift the incredible people that are emerging in the field of disaster and emergency management (D&EM), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and related fields. The Emerging Professional Spotlight features current CRHNet EP members, or students and recent graduates (<3 years) of our member post-secondary institutions. If you know someone that should be featured in this series, please send us an email at ep@crhnet.ca.