Announcements

2nd Annual Port Connect Attendance Up 20%


Attendance at the 2nd Annual Port Connect November 7 increased by over 20 per cent from the inaugural job opportunities event a year ago.

The Port of Nanaimo, in partnership with the Nanaimo WorkBC Centre, coordinated the event, designed to link students and people of all ages with contacts in the marine industry for possible employment. Over 200 individuals participated in 2018, and over 240 in 2019.

There were 18 exhibitors this year, including Seaspan, BC Ferries, DP World, Tetra Tech, WCMRC, Search & Rescue, Island Ferries, Herold Engineering, HeliJet, Western Stevedoring, BC Vehicle Processing Centre, Canadian Coast Guard, Gowlland Towing, Seamor Marine, Vancouver Pile Driving, Work BC and the Port of Nanaimo.

“There are a lot of strong marine-related companies doing business in and around the Port of Nanaimo,” says Port Chair Donna Hais. “They are always looking for good people to work for them, so Port Connect provides an opportunity to introduce prospective employees to some of the possibilities that may be out there for them.”

John Lucas of Seaspan noted “We saw a 25 per cent increase in attendees to our booth from last year. I ran out of my information earlier than anticipated and met a lot of good candidates again this year.”
Bill Jahelka, Regional Manager of Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC), says “I was overwhelmed with the amount of people, all with differing backgrounds and interests. I also enjoyed talking to the younger participants and giving them some guidance at this early point when they are entering the workforce.”Dave Marshall of Island Ferries says it was “very good to connect with potential candidates and let them know about where we are with Island Ferries. There is a lot of interest in how things are proceeding along for us. We are very pleased that we were part of this again.”
Robin Gang Li, President of Seamor Marine, says “It was great to get together with marine companies and talk to the visitors. Quite a few young fellows showed great interest in underwater robotics.”
Andy Highton, a supervisor with the BC Vehicle Processing Centre, says “It was great fielding questions from people who are curious about how the Vehicle Processing Centre is working out. We were able to answer a lot of questions and explain how we are progressing according to our plans. It was important to hear questions and to meet people interested in being part of our future.”
Peter McGee, Community Engagement Manager for the Nanaimo WorkBC Centre, says “The 2nd Annual Port Connect was a fantastic success, as was the inaugural event in 2018. We’ve established this as a unique opportunity in our region, one that brings together the marine sector in a way that the general public, both job seekers and network builders can access in an easy and effective way. As a partner with the Port of Nanaimo in the delivery of Port Connect,

 

 

 


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