junior engineer

welder

metal fabricator

engineer

soudeur

Irving Shipbuilding

The shipyard would be a great place to work if the management didn't actively try and make our life miserable. From installing hidden cameras to bring us up to HR for stuff that happened months ago (and then follow you around on the camera all day) to not being allowed to use an elevator and instead forcing us to climb 6 flights of stairs back and forth to our worksite multiple times a day. 

Irving Shipbuilding doesn't listen to the staff performing the work and only focuses on the immediate result and not long term success. "Get it done, then it's someone else's problem later" is all too common. We are on the 4th AOPS vessel and still running into the same engineering issues from the first ship. 

The money is okay, don't go in thinking you'll be pulling in fat stacks every week. After taxes, apprenticeship savings account, RSP, and health benefits you're only taking home about half of what you actually make. I make $29/hr as a level 2 apprentice and my gross pay is $1100 of which I take home $644. Not great. 

There is a serious lack of metal fabrication equipment in the shop. There is no shear, handsaw, press brake, rollers or any hydraulic fabrication equipment. We are building Canada's most modern warships with chop saws, zipcuts, torches. 

If you need anything through the yard be prepared to go for long walks. I average 10-13km a day 

This went from being an amazing place to work to a major disappointment over the past several months.  A new CEO came in and the changes became apparent very quick.  Departments left short handed, external company reviewing our company’s structure and constant chatter of “changes are in the future”.

Covid taught his we could work remotely with effectiveness.  This also solved some key issues in the yard (office space and parking).  Today a backwards step was taken by immediately stripping employees of the ability to work from home.

Last week we found our our quarterly bonus was being slashed with effective immediately written all over it… coincidentally when said quarterly bonus was due and expected as part of our salary.

Overtime is expected and noses are turned up when you submit to be paid for overtime (which means you worked 5 free hours for the company minimum as hours 40-45 are unpaid.)

I wanted to spend my career working here, other Irving companies are not taking these drastic cuts.. just the shipyard.   Hopefully I can step aside a different JDI company.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Great group of people, multiple career paths and opportunities, supportive management.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It is a very large and complex organization, so it can take a long time to get to build your network.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
In office roles it is lively, supportive and collaborative. Managers drive for performance and results and provide all the support you need to be successful. 

The company scrapped their hybrid policy requiring all workers to be on site.  However, managers have the flexibility to allow for their staff to work from home when needed.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are key principles here.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Diverse and self managed.  I am able to plan my own week looking at what needs to be done.  My manager trusts my best judgement without looking over my shoulder.  This allows me to perform and deliver results, and enjoy a fulfilling day every day.

Irving is not shy of promoting from within. If you are a self-starter they will put you into roles that can really boost your career.

However, there are some problems that plague large companies such as putting unnecessary pressure on meeting target metrics without context of the work scope.

I was not given the chance to comment on my contract as I was given the weekend to think about it with no HR person available then. Had I done some digging around I would have realized that I was not offered some benefits that others received. Despite this, I still would not have had much time to comment on it.

They have a pretty unusual policy of not paying you for your first 5 hours of overtime. Originally I thought that this was straight time, but in reality this is truly unpaid OT with no benefit to  yourself other than perhaps something to mention in the right context. 

Despite this the company pays fairly and the flexible hours make working have more freedom. Typically you can start anywhere from 7-8 and go home 330-430

Morning meeting starting at 6:30, meeting with the crew at 7:30, stretch and flex, briefing, FLRA, Communication, Safety Culture, Situational Awareness, Challenges, feedbacks.
I learnt that treating people with respect brings lots of good things back; I learnt that Canadian, generally speaking, are good and dedicated workers, and I learnt that stand up for your team's right is accomplishing. 
The management is coming from the Military and Navy background and it is sometimes hard to express your personal point of view.
The positive culture at Irving Shipbuilding makes a difference in the workplace.
There wasn't the hardest part of the job. Managing people is fun and accomplishing.
The most enjoyable part of the job was obviously the socializing building team, BBQ's, dinners and parties. I really enjoyed working with my team and bringing results, numbers, success to my superiours and give credits to my team. I enjoying teaching Medium Voltage procedures to 1166 people, I had a fantastic time as well as an instructor for Lock Out Tag Out.

Each day starts with being given a job and a time it is expected to be completed, delays caused by setting up safety measures required often lead to verbal or written warnings. Lead paint was present in the workplace and known by management but, not to the workers until months later and lead removal procedures were not taught to the teams assigned to lead paint removal (wrong respirators for the ammonia fumes and rooms were not sealed off properly) ventilation is poor and setting up additional ventilation as instructed in orientation can lead to verbal and/or written warnings. Complaining of a job being to dangerous due to lack in safety may lead to verbal or written warning and worker is replaced by another to do the same job in same conditions.
Despite being unionized, management continues violate the union agreement and replaces workers with subcontractors who receive a smaller wage.

A typical day would be to meet with your crew in the morning, go over safety requirements, and what your specific job was for the day. anywheres from pullings cable to terminating a circuit panel. I learn the basic foundation of electrical ( terminating lights, receptacles, circuit panels, switches,etc. Pulling and testing cable, mounting equipment, forming cable runs to equipment, and some Q/C work). Management was not very organized on at certain times. My co workers were great people to work with, many of hem were very knowledgable. The hardest part of the job was climbing in to very tight space to do work and pulling heavy duty cable in tight areas. the most enjoyable part of the job was how interesting it was to work on war ship and how vast and different the electrical systems are on ships.

I started here on a term (Contract) and liked it so much I turned permanent.  I work at the Bluenose building with CSC, and the days are fast paced, the management/leadership team is fantastic and fair yet has high expectations.   The culture is highly collaborative and "fast and flexible" is the motto.  I love that there is so many opportunities with this organization to grow, learn and expand your career.   I heard lots of negatives about Irving Shipbuilding before coming here, but in my nearly 1 year here I haven't seen any of those things I had heard in practice.  In fact, I would say that this has been one of the best work experiences I've ever had in my 23year career so far. 

it was a good job and I enjoyed my time there however the whole shipyard was being rebuilt which sometimes resulted in missing parts which made completing jobs difficult at times. 

I learned alot about the trade in my time there manly just the practical application of the things you learn at school such as reading blueprints,spool sheets, how to use tools properly and safley   

My co-workers were great people and would lend a hand when they could weather they were pipe-fitters or not. 

The hardest part of the job was the confined spaces which pipes had to be installed and the low margin for error. this also made it very rewarding when you did get the job done 

The best part was the knowledgeable people I got to meet and learn from in my time there

-	Developing and implementing Preventative maintenance program for Facilities
-	Perform  planning and estimating of preventive/corrective work orders for equipment and systems and facilities within the Irving shipyard(using drawings, manuals, and past history)
-	Prepare purchase requisitions for work requirements and expedite these orders
-	Create current and future work schedule for supervisors
-	Oversee work on equipment and systems; highly involved with subcontractors
-	Review and approve invoices for services and materials
-	Responsible for ensuring that equipment and system certifications are up to standard
-	Proficient with CMMS system
-	Supervise and maintain a current backlog summary of Preventive Maintenance/Predictive Maintenance and inspections that are due

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Junior engineer 6 salaries reported	$67,833 per year
Welder 1 salary reported	$33.21 per hour
Metal fabricator 1 salary reported	$33.21 per hour
Engineer 4 salaries reported	$97,500 per year
Soudeur 6 salaries reported	$31.50 per hour

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