Clean Leadership Summer Internship: 2026 Waste Management Cohort

Across Nova Scotia this summer, 10 Clean Leaders rolled up their sleeves and stepped into work that matters. Supported by Divert NS, they joined organizations advancing waste diversion and community sustainability. They brought fresh energy to local projects while gaining hands-on experience that could shape their careers.

The mix of meaningful work and professional growth is at the heart of the partnership between Divert NS and the Clean Leadership Summer Internship Program. More than just filling summer roles, the program allows youth to test their interests, connect their education to real-world challenges, broaden their horizons and discover career paths they may never have imagined.

Across the province, interns connected with residents, analyzed data, delivered public education, built partnerships and moved practical sustainability projects forward. Along the way, they saw how environmental progress happens: one conversation, one data set and one community initiative at a time.

For Matthew R., an engineering student working with Waste Check, also known as Western Region Solid Waste-Resource Management Authority, that discovery began in an industry he never considered as a potential career path. His days included curbside monitoring, green cart delivery, public education, compliance activities and community outreach. The work revealed how closely the waste sector connects with engineering and with the systems communities rely on daily.

“Before it wasn't really anything I thought about much, but there's definitely a lot with the waste field that transfers over (to engineering),” Matthew said. The placement provided more than additional experience on his résumé, it opened his eyes to new opportunities across the industry.

His experience captures one of the program’s greatest strengths: making new career possibilities feel tangible. Interns like Matthew are applying classroom knowledge to real-life challenges and seeing the many roles that support sustainable communities. In turn, they can begin to picture themselves doing that work.

That sense of possibility is also important to host organizations, too. They see how mentorship can turn curiosity into commitment and help talented young people imagine a future in the waste sector. As Amy H. from Waste Check said, “We're trying to get young people in this field and try to keep them here.” Internships give young people an authentic look at professional life, practical experience, and relationships that can support whatever comes next.

While Matthew discovered a new connection between engineering and waste management, another intern, Jonah L, gained firsthand experience in resource recovery and waste diversion.  His work with the Yarmouth County Waste Management Authority included supporting the organization’s Reuse Space, where he identified and sorted items that could be reused and prepared them for sale.  

This season, the program has diverted more than 20 tonnes of material from the landfill and the items sold raised almost $20,000 for charitable organizations, helping items find a second home instead of going to landfill. One aspect of Jonah’s internship that he enjoyed most has been discovering unexpected treasures and helping them find new homes. Reflecting on his experience, he shared, “It’s definitely a job I’m looking at for the next coming years.” With its mix of outdoor work, customer interaction and hands-on environmental experience, the placement has given him a deeper understanding of the impact waste diversion can have on both communities and the environment.

Matthew’s and Jonah’s experiences are snapshots of a wider story that unfolded across Nova Scotia. Whether focused on waste collection and sorting, education, research, community programming or other diversion initiatives, all 10 Divert NS Clean Leadership interns have contributed to work with real local value while building skills for their futures.

Beyond the projects, the placements offered something equally valuable; clarity. Some of the interns entering this program are still determining what their future career paths. These internships have given students a glimpse into careers that strengthen communities and protect the environment.

As the season closes, the value of these placements will continue to unfold. The mentorship, hands-on experience and industry connections interns gain are more than summer takeaways. They are foundations for lasting participation in Nova Scotia’s environmental sector.

The Clean Foundation team is proud of this year’s cohort and grateful to Divert NS for its continued partnership and investment in youth leadership. By giving young people space to learn, contribute and lead, Divert NS helps communities address today’s challenges while cultivating the skilled, passionate workforce that will carry the province’s environmental sector forward.