Meet three women who have
embarked on careers in the marine
transportation industry. This
program profiles Manon Turcotte, a
boat pilot accustomed to busy
shipping lanes and port harbors;
Gina Gray, a ferry deckhand
working her way up to Second
Officer; and Louise McGowan, a
naval engineer who maintains
shipboard mechanical equipment. Remarks from
co-workers and supervisors provide additional layers to the descriptions of each
job. View a preview video clip and read below for descriptions of each segment,
or scroll to the bottom to order!
Order Online Now!
Manon Turcotte originally wanted to
become an accountant, but realized an
office job wasn’t right for her. Then she
saw a presentation on careers in the
marine industry and decided to chart a
course in this direction. She attended a
Marine Institute and spent several years on
ships. Today, Manon is one of only three
female marine pilots in Canada, out of a total 350 marine pilots nationwide. She
is a pilot on the St. Lawrence Seaway and works for a company called Mid St.
Lawrence Pilotage, navigating ships through the seaway from Montreal to Trois-
Rivieres.
The St. Lawrence penetrates over 2,300 miles
into the North American continent. Its geography
is complex and varied, with 500 islands dotting its
course. Pilots like Manon are called in to take
ships through this tricky, potentially dangerous
waterway and into the right harbor safely. Manon helps all kinds of ships from all over the world,
from cargo ships to tankers to passenger ships,
even submarines and destroyers!
A pilot on the St. Lawrence Seaway makes a good living. The hours are
demanding and very irregular. You can be called in at anytime. Manon says she
has learned to sleep whenever she gets a chance. “I like my job because it is
never routine. Every day is different with different ships.”
Manon’s job keeps her very busy. So in her spare time she likes to go for quiet
walks in Trois-Rivieres, where she lives.
Order Online Now!
Gina Gray is a deckhand with BC Ferries
and is working her way up to Second
Officer. She took her Watchkeeping
certificate at the Pacific Marine Training
Campus and got some hands on experience
in the Navy. This combination was her
ticket onboard the Queen of New
Westminster. The ship is about 430 feet
long with 15,000 horsepower and room for 286 cars. It may sound like a lot to
handle, but Gina's got it covered.
Gina works ten hour days, five days on and five days off. She likes working at
the British Columbia Ferry Corporation because they offer great benefits. Her
future goals are to move up through second and first officer and eventually
become a captain.
Gina enjoys the responsibility her job offers. She says the work is always
changing and, although some days are uneventful, her job can get very intense
in emergency situations.
Gina did a lot of other things before choosing a career
on the ocean. She went to theater and film school, and
even did some production work on a few films.
Nowadays, her role at BC Ferries has all the production
elements she requires. “I love working outside with the
changing scenery. I have the most beautiful office in
the world.”
Order Online Now!
Ever wonder what it takes to keep those
big Navy ships in top notch condition? Ask
Louise McGowan, Marine Engineer on the
HMCS Ville de Quebec. Marine Engineers,
or "stokers" as Louise describes herself,
are the personnel who operate, monitor and maintain a ship's mechanical
equipment.
Louise spent all of her teen years as a sea cadet then joined the Navy when she
was 22. Louise signed up because she figured it was time to settle down. Settle
down and travel, from the looks of it!
Louise says it's a job that's right for her. Her future
aspirations include writing a book about the life
perspective of a Canadian sailor. Louise believes
other women would enjoy her job because it’s
never routine. Every day is unique with new
horizons and different challenges. “I love the
adventure of being at sea. You're sailing out into
this hostile environment and you never know what's
going to happen.”
Click the image to the left
for a preview video clip!
Click to Return to Full DVD List
Developed in 2006 in Canada, the Career Options for Women series is an
outstanding resource for schools wanting to attract women and girls to Science,
Technology and Trades!
Please Note: These videos are an excellent depiction of women in these jobs
and are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are
similar to the numbers in the United States. As there is a no-return policy on
these publications, please make sure to look at the preview video clip for the
DVD(s) you are ordering.
Pricing - Career Options for Women: Emerging Technologies DVDs
