Q: I really like customer service and I would like to work on one of the ferries. What’s the best role for me? A: Customer Service Attendants
If you love working with people, you’ll love being a Customer Service Attendant as you have the opportunity to engage with our passengers in many ways. As part of our catering team, you would prepare and serve food and beverages, while answering any questions and generally keeping all areas of the ferry clean and safe. Qualifications: Successful completion of Grade 12 and Food Safe Level 1 or HAACP Certificate and a valid Seafarer’s Medical.
Q: Cooking is my passion. Do you have a role for me at BC Ferries? A: Third Cooks
While keeping a clean work space throughout the day, you would prepare and cook burgers and breakfasts using grilling, oven and/or deep frying equipment. You would also assist in other areas of the galley, including taking over the steam table, making toast, deep fried food, sandwiches and salads, as well as washing dishes. Qualifications: 1 year Culinary Arts program and 2 years' apprenticeship
Q: I love being on the water and working as part of a team. I’m thinking a deck position would be interesting. What’s involved with this job?A: Deckhand
At BC Ferries, we transport millions of passengers and as a Deckhand, you often are their first contact onboard. In a day, you would load and unload traffic, steer, control and maintain the vessel, and provide general maintenance duties. Keeping safety in mind, you look out for potential safety hazards, ensure passengers comply with regulations, perform docking procedures and conduct vehicle counts and safety equipment checks. Qualifications: Marine Emergency duties certificates: STCW Basic Safety (MED A1 and MED B2) and Survival Craft (MED B1) and a valid Seafarer's Medical. A Bridge Watch Rating certificate is preferred.
Q: I am an experienced deck officer. What positions should I apply for at BC Ferries? While we offer many deck positions throughout the fleet, we’ve listed the positions most often hired.
A1: Mate (Chief Mate)
As a deck officer, you oversee activities including loading and unloading vehicles and passengers, navigation, ship husbandry, passenger/vehicle safety, equipment inspections, responding to emergency situations, supervising crew in the delegation of duties and providing training in crew fire, safety and boat drills. Qualifications: Valid Transport Canada certification as: Chief Mate or Chief Mate, Near Coastal; and a valid Seafarer’s Medical.
A2: Mate/Relief Master – Casual (Master Near Coastal)
You would work on our smaller ferries as Executive Officer in deck department activities, including loading and unloading vehicles and passengers, navigation, ship husbandry, passenger/vehicle safety, equipment inspections, responding to emergency situations, supervising crew in the delegation of duties and providing training in crew fire, safety and boat drills. Qualifications: Valid Transport Canada certification as: Master Mariner or Master, Near Coastal and a valid Seafarer’s Medical.
Q: I love working with all things mechanical. What’s the best job for me at BC Ferries?A: Engine Room Assistants (4th Class Motor or Engine Room Rating Certificate preferred)
Using your mechanical skills, you would assist in the maintenance of the mechanical, electrical and propulsion systems of vessels, maintain machinery, provide watch relief, and assist engineers with maintenance work. Safety is paramount in this role and you would participate in emergency and safety drills and meetings. Qualifications: Marine Emergency Courses Survival Craft and STCW Basic Safety, Fourth Class Motor Certificate or Engine Room Rating Certificate (preferred) and a valid Seafarer’s Medical.
Q: Having previous experience in the engine room and a higher Transport Canada license, what positions do you offer? We offer many opportunities for experienced marine engineers with the positions listed below being the most common.
A1: 3rd Engineer
Based in our fleet, you maintain, monitor, and repair machinery and equipment on the vessel, conduct watch keeping duties, troubleshoot and perform routine maintenance, and oversee and assist in the transfer of fuel, lube oil, and waste oil. You will also perform occasional tasks including servicing sewage systems and purifiers, testing fuel injectors, and draining and cleaning injector cooling tanks. Qualifications: Transport Canada Fourth Class Motor Certificate and a valid Seafarer’s Medical.
A2: 1st Engineer
As a first engineer, you will have the technical, interpersonal and leadership skills as well as the experience required for safe and efficient management and operation of the ship’s machinery and equipment. In this capacity, you supervise engineers who maintain, monitor, and repair machinery and equipment on the vessel, conduct watch keeping duties, troubleshoot and perform routine maintenance.
Qualifications: Transport Canada Second Class Motor Certificate and a valid Seafarer’s Medical.