Employment Career Profiles

SLDA's Employment Connections & Development Office will be creating 'profiles' on individuals in the area, who have decided to make a home here in the Labrador Straits area & Start a Career here. These profiles will showcase the different careers & success stories in the region, and the positive reasons to make the area your permanent home. They will be added to the SLDA Facebook Page, and SLDA's website, and be about individuals working in various types of careers in the area. -be individuals who may be a local resident, a returning resident, or newcomer. If you, or someone you know, may be interested in partaking, kindly contact SLDA's Employment Connections & Development Office at: connect.slda@outlook.com or (709) 931-2055

Introduction:
Nerissa is originally from L'Anse au Clair and moved to L'Anse au Loup in 2001. She is married to Warrick Belben and has one daughter, Danica. In her spare time, Nerissa loves to read, listen to music, spend time at her cabin and visit with her grandson.

Contact information:
Phone Number: 709-927-5311
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DotsBakeryandCoffeeShop

Nerissa's Career:
Nerissa is employed by NLSchools, serving as both a Grade 6 teacher and an Instructional Resource Teacher (IRT) at Labrador Straits Academy, in L'Anse au Loup. From a young age, she aspired to become a teacher, driven by her passion for working with children, leaving little room for consideration of alternative career paths. In 1993, she enrolled at Memorial University of Newfoundland, attending campuses in Corner Brook and St. John's, where she earned a Bachelor of Education with a focus on Primary Education. Subsequently, in 1998, she completed her Master's degree in Education, specializing in Teaching and Learning, through distance education.

Living & Working in the Labrador Straits
The Labrador Straits was always home to Nerissa and she never considered relocating. She is proud to live here and be a part of the community. In 2007, she and her husband decided to embark on a new business venture, and bought Dot's Bakery & Coffee Shop. Nerissa states that "Owning your own business takes a lot of time and dedication but the hard work pays off when you see your business grow, the people you get to meet and relationships you form with the community and travelers."

Nerissa's advice for individuals aspiring to live and work in the Labrador Straits:
"The Labrador Straits is a great place to live and work. The area is so beautiful and we have so much in our own backyards that we just have to get out and explore. The sense of community and being a big family is a feeling you don't get in the cities."

Rianna's Career
Rianna has been a nurse, for nearly 2 years. She started as a LPN, working casual in Forteau,
and completed her degree through Western Memorial School of Nursing. Rianna completed an additional 9 months of training through Labrador Grenfell Health, , in order to be qualified to work at the clinic.
The role of a regional nurse is quite extensive, you work with a broad scope, which allows you to work more independently in rural areas. The scope of practice includes suturing, following specific guidelines to
provide treatment and education, and working closely with physicians to provide the best possible care to their communities.
Rianna completed her LPN diploma at the College of North Atlantic, in Corner Brook. Following that, she completed a bridging semester which allowed her to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, in 3 years, through Memorial University in Corner Brook. Since then, she has continued her education by completing the Regional Nurse Mentorship Program with Labrador Grenfell Health which took her to various practice areas such as Charlottetown, Goose Bay, St. Anthony, Roddickton and Natuashish. Rianna has completed courses such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation and plans to continue to complete more this fall.
Rianna didn't always know that she wanted to be a Nurse. She knew that she wanted to be able to work in rural areas, and give back to communities such as the Labrador Straits. Growing up in a small town, Rianna enjoyed the lifestyle and knew she wanted to continue doing the same. She adds that it has been challenging, but yet so rewarding working as a regional nurse.

Living & Working in the Labrador Straits
Rianna has spent most of her life living in a small community, and she welcomes a new adventure living in Labrador. She hopes to have a long, happy career serving the people of the South Coast.

"Working rural provides you with the opportunity to get to know your patients, provides a sense of community, and knowing you have support behind you in times of need. From the sandy beaches and beautiful walking trails to the kind people that surround these communities, you will feel at home in no time. If you're up for an adventure, Labrador straits should be at the top of your list."- Rianna Gill

Chantelle's Career
Chantelle is a Early Childhood Educator, and provides childcare for children from infancy to school age. She plans activities to help develop their intellectual, physical, emotional and social growth while ensuring their security and well-being. Chantelle adds that " Helping children find a sense of belonging, while shaping a young mind and fostering their love for learning through play during their growth and development journey makes this profession deeply fulfilling."
In 2015, Chantelle graduated from the CNA Early Childhood Education Diploma program (Level 2 ECE). In 2024, she graduated from the CNA Early Childhood Administration Leadership Advanced Diploma Program (Level 3 ECE). Chantelle is continuing on to do her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education this Fall (Level 4 ECE)
After working in Centre Base childcare for two years, Chantelle went on maternity leave with her first born child. She wanted to be able to stay home with her child, and also still be able to help provide for her family. Therefore, Chantelle decided to open her own childcare program on the South Coast of Labrador. She is fully licensed through FCCC and offers the $10 a day childcare through the Operational Grant Program. She adds that the process was lengthy, being in Labrador, but she had great guidance with FCCC.
Chantelle became the first Licensed Home Childcare in all of Labrador.

Living & Working in the Labrador Straits
After spending her maternity leave in her husband's hometown of L'Anse Au Loup, Chantelle states that "it wasn't hard to fall in love with the safe little town, friendly folks and ocean views. It was the perfect place to start and raise a family. With no licenced childcare centres or family homes and a background in ECE, it was the perfect business opportunity."

"The Labrador Coast has endless opportunities. The scenery along the coast is second to none with pristine nature just waiting to be explored. If you're a lover of the great outdoors there's no other place to be. The close knit communities offer a slower pace and a sense of security. If working in a small town is something you've always aspired to do, the Labrador Coast has so much potential and many business opportunities to be explored. I would love to see more day homes offering the $10 a day childcare for families. It's a very rewarding career, in more ways the one!" -Chantelle Fowler

Ian's Career
Ian is a business owner, as he owns Blue Spade Greenhouse, which is located in Capstan Island. It is a 4-season Garden Centre, with Spring & Summer being the most popular seasons, specializing in hanging baskets. It has been open for 11 years, and he was 19 years old when he started. Ian was actually a Youth Ventures participant for 1 year.
For the business, he learned as he went. He worked at a garden centre in the Humber Valley area, where he built valuable relationships with other greenhouse owners & suppliers. It had always been an interest of his, as his mother has also always had an interest in gardening and she is now employed at his business. It all started with his grandparents, as they always had a lot of beautiful flowers.
Ian is a teacher by trade, and is currently working as a Program Specialist for Reading for the following areas: all schools in Labrador, the Northern Peninsula, Deer lake, Corner Brook & White Bay. In his role, he supports educators with reading instruction and assessment. To become a teacher, Ian went to MUN in 2012, and completed a Bachelor of Education in Primary & Elementary. He also just recently completed a Master's Degree in Reading Development and Instruction. Ian has always had an interest in this type of career and he now has two very busy careers.

Living & Working in the Labrador Straits
Ian is originally from L'Anse au Loup, so he wanted to start a business in the area. While Ian travels a lot for work, the Labrador Straits is home to him. He explained that he wanted to start a business here because "it's home", and "it is a service that a lot of people would miss if it wasn't here in the area."
Ian explained that it was originally just going to be a hobby. SLDA owned the building, and the previous owners had retired. Therefore, the building was vacant for about 2 years, and they were looking for someone to lease it. Ian decided to use this as an opportunity to turn his hobby into a business. The Process: it was in the month of March when he started and he had nothing on hand at the time (no supplies, etc). Therefore it was a rough start and took a lot of hard work. When they first started, they planted all of the flowers from seeds themselves, and they 'ground & mixed' their own soil in the first year.

Some words of encouragement that Ian offers to youth, that are aspiring to live & work in the area, is:
"It is really rewarding. You get to build strong relationships with community members (customers), who have known you your whole life." Ian enjoys hearing stories and helping them.

Brittany's Career
Brittany is a Pharmacist and have been practicing for 10 years. As a pharmacist, she is responsible for dispensing prescribed medications and providing proper education regarding these medications. She also administers vaccines and prescribes for many minor aliments.

She attended Memorial University School of Pharmacy in St. John's, NL, for post- secondary education, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Since graduating, she has completed additional training in order to administer injections, prescribe for minor ailments, provide OAT, and provide fitting for medical compression stockings.

Before choosing her undergrad, she knew that she had an interest in healthcare and working with the public. After exploring some other options, Brittany settled on a degree in pharmacy as it allowed her to do both.

Living & Working in the Labrador Straits
Brittany originally decided to move to the Labrador Straits area, for a job opportunity with Big Land Pharmasave.

Brittany explains that "working as a pharmacist in a rural area can be challenging at times, but also very rewarding. With a smaller population, it allows you to get to know your patients quite well and become an important part of their healthcare team. Living in this area is so different than how I spent most my life, but I have loved getting to explore the beautiful land and take part in many new outdoor adventures."

Some words of encouragement that Brittany offers to youth, that are aspiring to live & work in the area, is:

"If working in a rural area is something you aspire to do, then I believe the Labrador Straits is a great place for that. The land is beautiful with so much to explore and the people will make you feel welcomed and right at home."