He left the oil fields for wind turbines. Here’s why.

When Alex Connolly first left his home in Nova Scotia and headed west to work in the oil fields, he was following a path that felt familiar. 

Friends and family had gone before him, and the promise of steady work and good pay made it seem like the obvious choice.

The pay was good, but it didn’t take long to realize it wasn’t the life he wanted.

“It just seemed like the money wasn’t worth it,” Alex said. “I didn’t want to do this for five years, let alone twenty.”

Working in the oil fields meant 12-hour shifts, weeks away from home, and living in remote work camps deep in the woods.

“You’d work twenty days straight.” Alex said.”And there were no towns nearby.” With little to do outside of work, he says many of his coworkers fell into unhealthy habits to pass the time. 

After a few months, Alex realized the work and lifestyle weren’t the right fit for him. The isolation, long shifts, and time away from family took a toll, and he returned home determined to build a different future. 

“It was one of those things where you really know, ‘This isn’t for me,'” he said. “So it was an easy decision.”

Alex says another turning point came when he found support for his mental health. Working with a psychologist helped him manage anxiety through meditation and emotional intelligence tools. 

As his mental health improved, he found himself paying more attention to the world around him. “It reduced my anxiety,” he said. “It gave me more insight into what was happening beyond my own life.”

That growing awareness led him to learn more about climate change and inspired him to build a career in renewable energy.

Back in Nova Scotia, Alex found exactly what he was looking for. Inspired by a cousin already working in the industry, he completed a wind turbine technician program and quickly found work maintaining the turbines that now help power communities across the province.

Looking back, Alex sees a clear connection between his mental health journey and the path his life took. That’s why he’s become a passionate advocate for mental health education in schools from primary through Grade 12. 

He believes giving young people the tools to understand their thoughts and emotions can help them better understand the impacts of climate change and empower them to build a safer future for their generation.

Today, Alex’s life looks completely different.

He spends his days climbing wind turbines, working outdoors in the sunshine, and tackling the hands-on mechanical work he loves. He says the work is challenging, but it’s also rewarding, thanks to a supportive team and an employer that invests in its people. 

Best of all, he says, instead of flying across the country for weeks at a time, Alex finishes work and heads back in time for a game of Fastpitch with his friends in the evening.

“It means the world to me not to have to travel,” he said. “I’m close to home, close to the beaches I love, close to all my friends and family.”

Working in renewable energy has also given him something he says he never found in the oil fields: a deep sense of purpose.

Standing on a windy hilltop, clipped into his climbing harness beneath a towering wind turbine, Alex pauses to look up as the blades spin overhead.

 “These turbines are spinning. They’re producing energy that’s just from the wind,” he said. “It gives me a sense of freedom. I feel that I’m contributing to society and helping create a better environment.”

Now, Alex hopes more young Canadians will consider careers in renewable energy. 

When asked what his message is to young people, he says “I tell them there’s room here for young workers,” he said. 

“You could graduate high school and start making good money. The demand for people in this field is so high…and the best part is you’re staying in Nova Scotia. You’re home.”

As projects like Wind West move forward and Atlantic Canada strengthens its electricity grid, demand for skilled workers to build, operate, and maintain that infrastructure is expected to grow.

Alex says he’s proud to be building a career close to home with good pay, great benefits, and an employer that genuinely cares about its employees. 

He’s found work that aligns with his values, lets him spend time with the people he loves, and gives him confidence that he’s building a strong future here in Nova Scotia.

“I’m here,” he said, “and healthier than ever.”