On Day of the Seafarer, we recognize the hard-working men and women working on the water. Atlantic Towing Ship’s Cook on the Atlantic Eagle, Rebecca Marshall, was selected by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum to participate in the National Leadership Development Program for Women in Trade last year. Rebecca was one of fifteen tradeswomen selected from different trades from all over Canada. She completed the program learning about leadership, communication, wellness, conflict resolution and management skills.

This year, Rebecca was invited to the Supporting Women in Trades Conference as a keynote speaker in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She was selected based off her strong performance in the National Leadership Development Program and a well-written capstone project. 

Although Rebecca was working at the time of the conference and could not attend in person, she filmed her speech from the galley of the Atlantic Eagle and sent the video to organizers to play at the event. Rebecca spoke about building community in skilled trades and the impact this has had on her personal development and career growth. 

Industry leaders, stakeholders and tradespeople from across Canada were able to hear Rebecca and learn from her experiences.

"The twenty-eight days on, twenty-eight days off schedule of this awesome career as Ship's Cook, though not without its challenges - such as being at sea during the Supporting Women in Trades Conference and delivering my keynote address from the galley - enables me to enjoy six months each year to explore all that life has to offer, which makes the stretches away from home well worth it!"

This year’s Day of the Seafarer theme is #OceansWorthProtecting. Rebecca loves that her job allows her to explore the ocean and understands the importance of protecting it. 

“One initiative that I’ve been excited to learn about during my time at sea is the Land Needs Guardians Program. It’s so cool to get to see their outposts in remote places like Juan Perez Sound for example, where the Atlantic Eagle was anchored for part of a shift last year. I would love for more Canadians to understand the importance of the protection and stewardship work that Indigenous Guardians are doing out here, where not everyone has the chance to see it.”

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Atlantic Towing Limited is a world class marine services provider, specializing in port and terminal tug services, coastal towing, emergency towing, offshore oil and gas exploration and production support, with operations spanning the North Atlantic Ocean, Western Canada, the Arctic, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the North Sea.

If you’re interested in taking the next step in your career, or want to kick-start your journey in marine transport, apply to join Atlantic Towing’s team today!