Nicholas Miller, Labour Relations Manager, NAV CANADA

When Nicholas Miller began his bachelor’s degree in law and legal studies at Carleton University, he envisioned attending law school after graduation and pursuing a career as a lawyer. But, thanks to his undergraduate labour law class, Miller realized that he wanted to follow a different path.

Remembering the impact that Professor Bill Cole – a former labour consultant, advisor and spokesperson for unions – had on his understanding of the justice system, Miller recalls that Cole “knew the ins and outs of labour law in a practical context, and he taught it through anecdotes from his own experience.”

Miller’s interest in labour relations was further stoked by his work in the bar and restaurant industry during undergrad.

“From this experience, I developed an interest in how we protect people like myself and my coworkers,” he explains.

After graduating with a BA in Law in 2012, Miller worked at the Department of Justice and became involved with the workplace health and safety committee. He then went on to work at the Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB), and eventually took a year of education leave to pursue a master’s degree in industrial relations.

Since first realizing his interest in this area, Miller has had the opportunity to work in labour law and labour relations for Canada Post, the Royal Canadian Mint, the United Nations World Food Program and the Government of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

At IDRC, Miller had the privilege of supporting the organization and its employees through the ratification of its first collective agreement. “There [was] a lot of education to be done,” he explains. “My responsibility [was] to ensure that everyone [knew] how it works.”

Miller continues to follow his passion for supporting and protecting employees. He is now a Labour Relations Manager at NAV Canada, the non-for-profit responsible for air navigation within Canadian controlled airspace and employer of over 4,000 individuals from across Canada.

Reflecting on his success, Miller notes that he has never forgotten the lessons he learned at Carleton University.

“Carleton taught us a way of unpacking an issue and using critical thinking that was really valuable,” he says. “The methods I learned at Carleton are still very relevant in my work today.”