Spotlight on CSSE Members
Aimee Arsenault
When she was attending university, Edmonton Chapter member and current Regional Vice President Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Aimee Arsenault never thought that her degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Alberta would be useful to her in the career she eventually chose.
“I think that my education—my interest in cultures, value systems, belief systems, and the ‘how,’ but most importantly, the ‘why’ people do the things they do—is a real strength in this industry,” she notes. “As I always joke, I have a degree in people-watching.”
After graduating from university, Aimee went to live in Germany, with the intention to come back and pursue an after-degree in education. “And let’s just say, that never happened. The company I was working with during university offered me a position when I came back, but it wasn't necessarily what I thought it was going to be. I had heard that the health and safety department was looking for an administrator, so I said, ‘Pick me, I’m your administrator.’ And that’s how I got into health and safety.”
Aimee has been working as a safety professional for more than 15 years. She started her consulting company, Transmit Safety, in August 2019—“a great time to start my business, just before the pandemic hit,” she jokes. She had to pivot in your initial business plan, but the foundation was solid. This allowed her to focus on strategic planning, program development, and creating operational resources for her clients— small and medium-sized businesses looking to implement health and safety management systems. “I focus predominantly on streamlining and simplifying their systems through what I like to call a ‘no BS’ simplified approach.”
Before starting her company, Aimee worked as an entry-level safety administrator, and then progressed through a number of positions: safety advisor; health, safety, and environment coordinator; and health and safety manager. During her career, she earned a Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from the University of Alberta in 2010, a Canadian Registered Safety Professional, and a Certified Health and Safety Consultant.
Aimee believes that the CSSE’s courses and opportunities to connect with other health and safety professionals and grow her networks across the country have been an important part of her professional journey.
From chapter-level events like the Lunch and Learns to courses and events showcasing the national perspective, Aimee notes how important it’s been to get insight into what was happening from coast to coast to coast.
“As I navigated through my career, there were times when I worked for companies where I was the only health and safety person within the company or the region. And I needed to leverage that professional network. I needed to develop a solid contact list of people I could call for technical or emotional support - my “break in case of emergency” contact list. And so CSSE gave me access to other health and safety professionals who also wanted to build a professional network and additional professional development options.”
“Through the CSSE, I have met people who have inspired me, challenged me, and encouraged me to take my career to the next level. And that’s what I think about when I volunteer my time with CSSE: how can I help to inspire, challenge, and encourage others to get the most out of their membership and careers, because, in the end, it’s about giving back to the community that has given so much to me.”