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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 12:00:34 GMT -8
Hey guys, I am trying to apply with BC Ferries to get on with them as a deckhand for the summer season, does any one here have any good advice when applying?
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 28, 2008 12:12:27 GMT -8
Hopefully you'll have better luck applying than I did. Horseshoe Bay is looking for people right now, so send in a few applications down there. The Human Resources offices were hard to get to for me, as they were only open from 9:00am until 4:00pm or so, Monday to Friday. I'd imagine Tsawwassen is looking for people as well though.
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Post by Curtis on Jan 28, 2008 12:15:36 GMT -8
I'm not 100% on this advice, but I think from past attemps by other forum members you should hide your inner Ferry Geek From them on your application.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 12:15:54 GMT -8
yah, thats what i heard also. I have heard that they are starting to interview for positions now as well.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 12:17:16 GMT -8
haha yah, that is a good point maybe , least till i am hired! where abouts did you drop the application off at the HR office?
Also is anyone else planning to try to apply wtih BC Ferries this year?
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 28, 2008 12:21:57 GMT -8
haha yah, that is a good point maybe , least till i am hired! where abouts did you drop the application off at the HR office? At Horseshoe Bay, you go to the building where Foot Passengers would purchase their tickets. You need to get to the second floor of this building, so you could either take the elevator that's just outside of the ticket booths, or go into the small door that will take you up the stairs. Just so you don't get confused, this door is to the right of the ticket booths, but to the left of the arrivals door. Once you get up to the top of the stairs, on your left is the Administration desk, and on your right is the Human Resources/Crewing Office. So turn right and into that door, and there should be someone sitting at the desk to assist you. Also, I believe the HR people go for lunch from 12:00pm until 1:00pm. So I've had to hand it into the Administration instead. Just let the admin know that it's an application form, and ask them if they could forward it to HR.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 12:35:36 GMT -8
Alright, i will take one to Horseshoe Bay and to Tsawwassen Chris, did you have all your MED 's before applying? Or did you have a Bridgewatch certificate?
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 28, 2008 12:53:35 GMT -8
Unfortunately I have none of the above for the moment. All I have is a CPR training cert. I was only applying for Catering services to begin with though. I've been verbally offered a job at a tugboat company though, so I'm about to go for that instead of BC Ferries, as it will be full time. None of this "on call 24/7, we'll call you when we need you, run your life business".
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 14:10:35 GMT -8
oh yah, well congrats then! Good luck with that!
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 15:58:26 GMT -8
Is it one of the big tug companies or just a small one?
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Post by kylefossett on Jan 28, 2008 17:25:57 GMT -8
If you are applying for a shipboard position it helps if you have your MED and OFA 3, might be able to get away with OFA 2.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 17:35:54 GMT -8
what is a OFA 3 and OFA 2
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Post by NMcKay on Jan 28, 2008 18:04:07 GMT -8
what is a OFA 3 and OFA 2 Occupational first aid level 2 / 3
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Post by coastalcody on Jan 28, 2008 18:05:49 GMT -8
whats med
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 18:15:47 GMT -8
Marine Emergency Duties
oh ok, well i have those, as well as a Marine Advance First Aid ticket
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 28, 2008 18:19:53 GMT -8
Is it one of the big tug companies or just a small one? It's not a big company like Cates and Seaspan. It's more of a family owned/operated business with 6 or 7 tugs that service the Coast from Puget Sound to Alaska. I'll tell more about them, when things are a little more official.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 18:26:12 GMT -8
well that sounds good, hope things work out well for you.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 19:55:17 GMT -8
How does the casual on call system work with bc ferries?
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 28, 2008 20:47:22 GMT -8
You're on call 24/7, and they usually give you a days notice of having to be at work the next day. But you'll never know for sure when you'll be working. A good friend of mine who works on the ferries on casual callout, was phoned at 4:30am to be at Duke Point for the 5:15am sailing of the same day. If you say you won't be able to make it in when they call you, they record the number of times that you don't agree to show up for work, and the times you may have not shown up, and the supervisor will determine whether or not to give you the axe after a certain amount of times. I've also heard that you're not allowed to have another job, that could potentially limit the amount of times you can work for BC Ferries.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 28, 2008 20:51:07 GMT -8
The on call system sucks. I have been interviewed twice by them one at Swartz Bay and one at Departure Bay. They dont give you any specific hours. They dont like you to have another job. If you refuse to work after the 3rd time they call your off the list. Dont know what the difference between casual and on call is but I might apply again at Swartz Bay this year. Just my opinion!
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 20:56:35 GMT -8
yah i hear that they don't give you too much notice, though i have a friend that worked out of langdale and he said he was getting 25 days a month some months. though some days then called 30 mins before they needed him.though i guess thats how it goes.
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Post by kylefossett on Jan 28, 2008 21:06:00 GMT -8
you complain about being called 30min before the shift starts. this is usually because that is when somebody called in sick. if everybody called in sick 2hrs befoe shift it would make things a lot easier but life is not like that. off the call list after 3 refusals sounds fair to me. do you want the job or not. if its 3 refusals in a year then it might be different.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,150
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Post by Neil on Jan 28, 2008 21:56:21 GMT -8
There aren't very many employers who would stick with someone without specialized skills who turns down three shifts, or who says, "I'm not sure I can commit to you because I've got this other job at Cineplex"..., at least, not in the real world, anyway.
It's a chance to get your foot in the door on a union job that, in the long run, can pay pretty decently, be fairly secure, and have good benefits.
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Nick
Voyager
Chief Engineer - Queen of Richmond
Posts: 2,078
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Post by Nick on Jan 28, 2008 22:11:21 GMT -8
I know when I got a temporary job last summer at the Queen of Fort Street I got the job because I had extensive knowledge of the fleet.
Although, that may be because I needed fleetwide stats knowledge to do my job (well, at least it made it a lot easier and faster since I didn't have to look up each particular for every ship.). So my point is that it sometimes helps to let your interviewer know that you know a lot about the operations of the company, just don't be quoting every statistic and fact you can think of, and be professional about it.
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Post by ferrytraveller on Jan 28, 2008 22:12:45 GMT -8
How long does it tipically take to get full time status with Bc Ferries? I heard it use to take like 8 years but it must be alot sooner then that now. Even at Seaspan, they are short crew and have had to tie up boats cause of it. I chatted with the manager of operations and he said right now, it is like instant promotion and your applying with the union and getting in.
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