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    Canadian Coast Guard Reviews

    Updated February 27, 2017
    14 reviews

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    Full-timePart-time
    3.2
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Jody Thomas
    Jody Thomas
    4 Ratings

    14 Employee Reviews

    Sort: PopularRatingDate

    1. "Challenging Work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Deckhand in Ontario, CA
      Current Employee - Deckhand in Ontario, CA
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time (More than 8 years)

      Pros

      Different work environments, challenging work environments. Fun coworkers. Decent benefits.

      Cons

      Long periods of time away from home. Inexperienced management, poor leadership.

    2. "marine engineer"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Disapproves of CEO

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time

      Pros

      -great leave system. 1 to 1 days worked to days off typically.
      -more focus on proper maintenance of machinery compared to private sector jobs
      -very safe work environment
      -laid back atmosphere
      -vessel tasks can vary widely, keeps work interesting
      -most colleagues

      Cons

      -pay is below industry standard
      -Federal pay system is a total disaster
      -useless union (pay contract has been expired since 2013)
      -arrogant/entitled coast guard college new-grads
      -bureaucracy

    3. "Navigation Officer"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time

      Pros

      Very unique experience
      Varied work
      Everything is provided while working

      Cons

      Current pay system is a bit messed up
      Like any government job, even the bad apples stay

    4. "Depends wildly what position you have."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time

      Pros

      Operational jobs in CCG are the most exciting government jobs, one can have. Various positions to fill either at sea or on shore.

      Cons

      Massive amount of red tape. Mid-level management trying to involve themselves at every turn. And serious pay problems due to the phoenix pay system debacle.

    5. "Chief Cook"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Chief Cook
      Current Employee - Chief Cook
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      Pros

      Amazing crew and coworkers, cool travel experiences

      Cons

      Problems with payroll, long times away from home

      Advice to Management

      Work on the payroll system !

    6. "Engineer"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Marine Engineer
      Current Employee - Marine Engineer
      Recommends
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      Time on,- time off schedule is nice. Most employees are proud of the CG with a few exceptions.

      Cons

      Pay is not great for time spent away, management controls most of your banked leave and overtime opportunities are very limited. Union dues are mandatory and the union are of little value, especially when negotiating with government. Unlicensed personnel on-board fleet vessels receive a lay-day factor (extra 0.17 days) per day at sea that the licence'd personnel do not receive. Many of the vessels are past their design life expectancy and re-capitalization of the fleet is slow. All public service employees are cast under one umbrella when government uses the public service as a scapegoat for savings (most recently with the Harper Government). You will never be fully appreciated by the general public without senior management and elected government acknowledging your work and pay is justified.

      Advice to Management

      Negotiate a lay-day factor for Fleet Officers (Appendix H employee's) or remove the factor from ships crew collective agreement.

    7. "Career Officer"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time

      Pros

      Great benefits, although they have been greatly eroded.

      Cons

      Politics, favoritism. In order to progress in rank you have to know the right people.

      Advice to Management

      Keep Maritime region the way it is. Fleet Officers and Crew in Halifax and Dartmouth deserve recognition.

    8. "Bureaucracy..."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Ottawa, ON (Canada)
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Ottawa, ON (Canada)
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook

      I have been working at Canadian Coast Guard full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      We do a good thing for Canadians. It's not the most efficient, but we're there!

      Cons

      The process of promotions and development of individuals is a very painful process and a major obstacle. There's a lack of culture in certain offices (especially Ottawa) and it's an organization working in operating reactively (due to some underfunding though).

      Advice to Management

      Tell our story better. Bring the organization to the present!

    9. "My Career"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Marine Engineer in Ottawa, ON (Canada)
      Current Employee - Marine Engineer in Ottawa, ON (Canada)
      Recommends
      Approves of CEO

      Pros

      I enjoyed 32 years working with Canadian Coast Guard, being part of protecting our Canadian Waters, helping other mariners, the marine environment and waterways. I earned a good living for my family and now a pension. I continue to work there as a relief person. It is a proud feeling to be part of this group and all the services it provides. I am retired but still want to remain and do a small part to contribute to our Marine Community.

      Cons

      Being away from home and missing a part of family life

      Advice to Management

      Keep up the good work and continue to lobby Government for new vessels

    10. "enjoyed the helicopter rides to visit the lightstations."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Accounting Clerk/Switchboard in Victoria, BC (Canada)
      Former Employee - Accounting Clerk/Switchboard in Victoria, BC (Canada)
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at Canadian Coast Guard full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      I found all the Managers of the departments very easy to speak with, They were always very understanding and always there to help when something came up you were not familiar with. I always came away at the end of the day happy and not stressed.

      Cons

      I don't have anything to say negatively.

      Advice to Management

      Continue to be patient when a new clerk is hired so he or she has time to absorb all the areas of the Coast Guard areas.

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