Jan-Willem Laros
Welcome to my online career portfolio
About Me
Hi, I'm Jan-Willem Laros, originally from the Netherlands, and I've been a proud resident of Canada since 2001, settling in Arthur, ON. Following my high school graduation, I embarked on a journey that would shape my career. Acceptance into the Police Foundations program at Conestoga College marked the beginning of my professional aspirations. During this pivotal time, I initiated my career path by securing a summer position as a security guard at Conestogo Lake Conservation Area, laying the foundation for my future endeavors.
After my inaugural year, I realized my passion lay in working within conservation areas. The allure of the outdoors, diverse interactions with people, and the opportunity to contribute to the maintenance of a significant dam captivated me. Even before my tenure at Conestogo Lake, my fascination with the dam had deep roots, stemming from countless visits during my upbringing. The prospect of working at the dam was a longstanding dream that, unbelievably, became a reality.
With two years of dedicated service under my belt, I completed my seasons. Due to my reputation as a diligent worker, I was granted the opportunity to interview for and successfully secured the Lead Hand position at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area the following year. This marked the official commencement of my career with the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA).
Over the past decade, I've assumed various roles at different GRCA locations. Currently, I have held the position of Superintendent at Laurel Creek Conservation Area for several years. In this capacity, I've not only successfully managed the conservation area but also collaborated on initiatives to enhance departmental efficiency. It's been a rewarding journey contributing to the preservation and operation of these natural spaces.
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Professional Achievements
Student Onboarding Page
2022
To enhance the efficiency of student hiring procedures, I developed a student onboarding page through SharePoint, aiming to streamline the entire process. This dedicated SharePoint site consolidates all essential hiring documents and facilitates online Health & Safety training, providing students with a centralized and convenient platform for accessing and completing necessary tasks. This initiative not only simplifies the onboarding process but also ensures a more organized and user-friendly experience for students involved in the hiring process.
Student Onboarding Page Upgrade
2023
The introduction of the Student Onboard page has indeed improved the efficiency of student hiring paperwork. However, there's still a considerable amount of physical documentation involved in the process. To address this and, in collaboration with the student training task team, I've initiated a transition to reduce our reliance on paper.
Specifically, we've replaced the fillable/paper quizzes which were sent to superintendents either through email PDF files or printed copies—with online quizzes. These quizzes are crafted using Microsoft Forms, offering a digital and user-friendly assessment format. The results are seamlessly integrated into SharePoint lists through a workflow created in Microsoft Power Automate. This transition not only simplifies the quiz-taking process but also contributes to a more efficient approach to managing assessments within the student training framework.
Conestogo Dam Operation and Maintenance manual
2017 -2020
Designed a user-friendly manual specifically for the orientation of new operators at Conestogo Dam, providing a step-by-step guide to carry out their responsibilities effectively. The manual originated as straightforward instructions for generating a daily morning report and has since evolved into a comprehensive 16-section binder. These sections encompass a diverse array of crucial topics, offering detailed guidance on sluice gate operations, turbine operations, regular maintenance, and an expansive range of other essential aspects involved in the seamless functioning of the dam. This comprehensive resource ensures that new operators are well-equipped with the knowledge and instructions necessary to navigate the complexities of their roles at Conestogo Dam.
Conestogo Dam Competency Assessment Guide
2021
To ensure a seamless transfer of knowledge, I developed the Conestogo Dam Competency Guide. This tool has proven instrumental in facilitating the training and assessment of two new dam operators, enabling them to proficiently fulfill all required duties. Similar to a driving test, the instructor utilizes this guide to guide the trainee through various objectives, requesting them to complete or explain each task outlined.
The Conestogo Dam Competency Guide serves as a structured approach to assess the operator's understanding and capability. It establishes a benchmark for the new operators, requiring them to demonstrate competence in basic tasks before attaining full operator status, which includes being on standby. This method ensures a comprehensive evaluation of the trainee's skills and knowledge, contributing to the overall success and readiness of new dam operators at Conestogo Dam.
Laurel Creek Conservation Area Quick Reference Guide
2021
In order to facilitate a smooth and efficient transfer of knowledge, I crafted the Quick Reference Guide to Laurel Creek, specifically designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for new superintendents during their initial one or two years in the role. This guide aims to empower them with the essential information and insights necessary to navigate their responsibilities effectively and contribute to the overall success of their tenure at Laurel Creek. By offering a structured and accessible reference point, this guide not only accelerates the onboarding process but also ensures that new superintendents can swiftly grasp the nuances of their roles and responsibilities within the unique context of Laurel Creek.
Staff Onboarding Page for HR
2023
Following the successful implementation of the student onboarding page, the Human Resources department recognized its effectiveness and sought my assistance in developing a similar onboarding page tailored for regular full-time staff. Acknowledging the need for a seamless and efficient onboarding process across different employee categories, I collaborated with the HR department to design a comprehensive onboarding page on SharePoint. This platform consolidates essential documentation and facilitates a smooth orientation process for full-time staff members, contributing to a consistent and streamlined onboarding experience for all employees within the organization.
Online Seasonal Camping Lottery
2023
In collaboration with GRCA's in-house app developer, we successfully developed an online lottery application dedicated to the seasonal camping program. This innovative solution was implemented to modernize and standardize the process for individuals interested in securing a seasonal campsite. Historically, conservation areas grappled with managing tens to hundreds of paper and email applications, resulting in a cumbersome and time-consuming process for acquiring new seasonal campers.
With the introduction of the online lottery application, the entire procedure has been streamlined. Now, staff can effortlessly and randomly assign prospective campers to campsites with just a click of a button. This not only expedites the process but also ensures a fair and efficient allocation of seasonal campsites, representing a significant improvement over the previous paper-based or email-centric approach.
Staff Schedule
2019
Designed an intuitive staff schedule template using Microsoft Excel, which has been universally adopted throughout the Grand River Conservation Authority for all Conservation Area Staff. The implementation of an efficient scheduling method for summer staff was long overdue. Previously, the scheduling process was both time-consuming and frustrating, necessitating manual data input and calculations for appropriate hours.
The newly created Excel scheduler addresses these challenges by incorporating user-friendly features. Shifts are added effortlessly through drop-down menus populated with predetermined shift data. Weekly and full pay-period hours are automatically computed once shifts are selected, eliminating the need for manual calculations. The workbook comprises 13 individual worksheets, each containing two pay-periods, minimizing the need for extensive scrolling. Intricate formulas, drawing data from multiple editable shift data tables on the last worksheet, handle these calculations seamlessly.
In summary, this staff scheduler has proven to be highly efficient, streamlining the scheduling process and significantly improving overall productivity for Conservation Area Staff at the Grand River Conservation Authority.
Online Hunting Permit Lottery
2020
In collaboration with GRCA's in house app developer, we developed an online lottery application for all of Conestogo's deer hunt permits. By this initiative, we have made the process fair, curved the days long lineups and cut expenses by reducing required staff time. In addition to developing the hunting permit lottery for deer, we have also developed an online system for selling pheasant/small game permits, which brings the same added benefits.
Main Certifications
Police Foundations
Conestoga College
Essentials of Supervision
University of Waterloo
Achieved the Essentials of Supervision Certificate by completing five in-class courses at the University of Waterloo's Professional Development campus. The following are the courses associated with the certificate: Essential Skills for New and Potential Supervisors, Hiring and Retaining Staff, Performance Management and Development, Planning and Organizing Work, and Supervisory Communication Skills.
See individual certificates by clicking the button below.
Introduction to Excel 2019/office 365
University of Waterloo
Completed an E-Learning Excel course to improve my skills.
Writing Essentials
Conestogo College/Education To Go
Completed an E-Learning writing course to improve my written communication skills.
Food Handlers Certificate
FoodSafetyTraining.ca
Completed an online food handler course and achieved a 94% on the final exam.
