Today, he works as a floral purchaser with Northland Floral in Jordan Station, crediting his time in Canada with helping him develop the skills to be a success.

I graduated in 2023 from the Horticultural Technician program.

I moved to Canada for two reasons: first, to have a new life experience abroad; second, to give my 11-year-old daughter (at that time) the chance to discover new places and spend her childhood and adolescence in a country with more possibilities than Brazil. After visiting George Brown and Seneca colleges in Toronto, I chose Niagara College because life outside the GTA appealed to us. The Niagara Region is where the world goes on vacation, and we felt living here would be great. Four years in, we’re still finding something new to do every weekend. Also, I wanted to try something different than what I was working with for the last 17 years; no more eight-hour shifts in the office (working for a bank) and get to start fresh learning horticulture.

I worked with Research and Innovation from late 2022 through 2024—just over two years. I supported the lead researcher on industry trials, typically conducted at the Niagara College Teaching Greenhouse on a dedicated HESIC bench, helping partner companies test and validate their products. I set up experiments, maintained crop health while applying the required treatments, and collected, entered, and analyzed the data. We worked as a team, and the projects were managed collaboratively.

I’m a Floral Purchaser at Northland Floral in Jordan Station. I work with dozens of Niagara growers every day—sourcing and buying the plants we sell and deliver across Canada and the U.S. Niagara College and HESIC were a great first step into the industry, studying and working at the Daniel J Patterson campus (also many tradeshows I participated in, representing HESIC) introduced me to a few of the key players in the horticultural/floral industry, and today I collaborate daily with many of those well-known greenhouses. Outside work, my family and I keep exploring Niagara region every weekend, and I’m studying French while we move forward on our permanent-residency journey.

I got workforce-ready by doing the work. Representing HESIC and Niagara College at multiple trade shows was the starting point – it opened doors and built my network. At HESIC I moved beyond the more theoretical side of the Horticultural program into real, hands-on trials with partner companies, seeing up close the challenges Niagara growers face as they bring products to market. That mix of industry exposure and practical problem-solving is what prepared me.

One of the most memorable projects I worked on at R&I was focused on turning kitchen scraps into fertilizer. We created different ‘waste recipes,’ studied their potential, debated results and next steps with our HESIC team members, and finally tested the product on a tomato crop. It was fascinating, very hands-on, and I learned a lot from the process of trying to turn household waste into something valuable.

As a mature student at Niagara College, one of my special memories was simply being among so many younger classmates. It felt like stepping into a time machine: I could see myself in them 20 years earlier, back when I was in university in Brazil. But this time, the experience was different. I wasn’t trying to prove anything, chasing popularity, or looking for a girlfriend. I was there to study, to learn, and to enjoy the amazing campus infrastructure we had at our disposal. It made my time as a student both meaningful and refreshing.

I was very fortunate to have three mentors who truly influenced me. The Lead Researcher on many of the projects was both a colleague and a personal friend. We spent countless hours discussing project data, methodologies, results, and also sharing life experiences—I learned so much from her. I also greatly admire Dereck Shultze, one of the most fascinating and clever people I’ve ever met. Conversations with him could stretch for hours, always filled with insights and facts you’d never find anywhere else. And lastly, Dena Gavin was my motivational teacher. She had this unique way of giving honest feedback that could shake my foundation (in the best way!) pushing me to move toward my goals. She gave me courage whenever I doubted myself. Three very different personalities, but each left a deep mark on me.

Don’t pretend you don’t see it, especially with how fast AI is reshaping the labour market. Instead of ignoring it, embrace it. Learn to use AI as your ally, a tool that can help you push your dreams even further. Yes, it’s scary, but it’s also fascinating. Be glad this is only the beginning—you still have time to make it work in your favour.

At the moment, I am mostly learning French, and also finding energy to exercise.

My proudest achievement since graduating has been securing a long-term role with a Canadian company—a workplace where I can grow. It also gives me hope for my immigration process. I know how challenging it can be in 2025 for many immigrants in the same situation to find a good place to work, so this accomplishment makes me proud of myself.

To me, this is a true reminder that everything is in constant change. The past is no more, the future is yet to be invented. That’s my life motto.

Not my cup of tea…

Nerdcast – this one is in Portuguese, I don’t really follow any podcasters in English.

Right now: Les Aventures du Petit Nicolas by René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé. It’s a very funny collection of French ‘chronicles’—light, entertaining, perfect before bed. Highly recommended.

I’m not much of a video gamer, but when I do play it has to be Gran Turismo 7 on the PS5.

I’m more of a board game fan: Ticket to Ride (It has to be the Old West version!) is a no-brainer favourite, and lately I’ve been really into a boardgame called Azul, which is surprisingly strategic. Chess.com is always on my phone, and if you can count Duolingo as a game, I’m on a 487-day streak!