Earlier this month, 12 women at our Vancouver Shipyards office were invited to learn a new skill and try their hands at welding.
Led by Red Seal-certified welder Elizabeth Neufeld, who has been with Seaspan since 2015, participants were given a thorough safety orientation prior to a demonstration on different welding techniques. Under close supervision, the group practiced their new skills by welding lines before eventually putting them to the test on a small model of the Joint Support Ship, currently under construction at Vancouver Shipyards for the Royal Canadian Navy.
The first-time welders encountered some unexpected challenges, noting that the most difficult part about learning to weld was getting used to the limited visibility caused by wearing a welding hood. “This hands-on experience really highlighted the technical skills of our welders and the physical demands they face everyday,” said Melanie Bradley, Seaspan Shipyards’ General Counsel. “It was a fantastic opportunity and we are thankful to our team members who shared their knowledge and expertise with us.”
“I think this was a great experience for all involved, providing a hands-on experience for this group of women who normally don’t put on coveralls and steel-toes in their day-to-day jobs,” said Neufeld. “It also gave me a chance to meet women at Seaspan I don’t usually work with and build connections within the organization.”
For Seaspan, it was also an opportunity to create new spaces for collaboration and learning, and to give women a new avenue to empower one another in the workplace.
Across Seaspan Shipyards we are proud to employ a diverse and talented group of individuals. At Vancouver Shipyards, where our National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS)-related work is underway, we provide well-paid jobs to hundreds of professionals and skilled tradespeople.
Learn more about Seaspan Shipyards’ role as Canada’s long-term, strategic shipbuilding partner under the NSS, where we are building large non-combat vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy.
Join our team and find out about current and future job opportunities.