From casual to cashier: Building a career at sea
I’ve been with BC Ferries for 13 years now, and it’s the best job I’ve ever had. I like the people I work with, and that makes a big difference.
When I started, I was a cleaner. My goal from day one was to be a cashier. It took me six years of casual shifts, learning every job on the ship and building my seniority to get there. The day I finally got that cashier job, I thought, “I did it. I achieved my goal.” That was probably the happiest day of my career.
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work passengers don’t see. We’ve got assembly points from Victoria to Prince Rupert and everyone’s connected somehow. If we run out of milk in qathet, another ferry sends it over. If another route needs something, we help them out. That kind of teamwork keeps the ferries and communities running.
Those first couple of years as a casual were the hardest. You’re figuring out the job, meeting new crew, adjusting to the shifts. But in a union job, you know if you put in the time, you’ll get your chance. You build time off, you get to know your crew, it gets easier.
Every summer we get new seasonal workers, and those first weeks can be tough for them. They’re still finding their routine, and there’s a lot to learn. I remember how overwhelming it can feel at the start, so I try to help them as much as I can. By the end of the summer, they’ve got it down and it feels good to know I helped them succeed.
I work on a smaller route and passengers tell me it’s their favourite boat. It takes 125 cars, and when people get on board, they feel like they’ve left the city behind. We’re out in the boonies, so you really get to know the people you work with and the regular passengers. It’s a tight crew and a tight community.
We’ve got a lot of long-timers here, but younger workers don’t tend to stay long because you can’t get sea time on this route. If they want to move up to chief officer or other positions, they have to go elsewhere. Some do just that, then end up coming back later in their careers.
I’m proud to be part of the crew that keeps our coast moving.
Shannon Walsh, Local 6 Shop Steward
