Atlantic Canada's Top Employers (2025) - Flipbook - Page 20
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ATLANTIC CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Humble Maritime values reign at LDRS Pivotal Power
P
rior to earning a master’s
degree in science from
Dalhousie University
in 2020, Ivanka Bashkir
had been an engineering co-op student at home in
Ukraine. During an online job
search, she saw a position for a
computer-aided design technician
at Bedford-based Leonardo DRS
Pivotal Power (LDRS). “It was a
temporary six-month role, but
I was really interested to stay
because I saw a future for me to
grow with the company,” she says.
LDRS designs and manufactures power conversion and
distribution equipment for
global defence customers as part
of Alexandria, Va.-based Leonardo
DRS. In Bedford, over time,
Bashkir’s supervisor gave her more
complicated engineering projects
to improve her knowledge and
experience. He also encouraged
her to apply for her engineering
licence, which she received in
2024.
Now a junior mechanical
engineer, Bashkir has come full
circle, supervising co-op students
to further grow her skills. Along
with benefiting from a wide
range of resources and training,
employees are asked to set annual
goals, one of which should be
around professional development.
Bashkir is planning to finish a
project-management certificate
at Dalhousie this fall, and she
appreciates that LDRS is paying
for the tuition.
Investing in employees is a
priority for senior leaders such as
Ryan Daye, vice president, Canada
operations. “We’re fiercely proud
of our people, and we work hard
to take care of them,” he says.
“When you like to go to work, the
energy is strong and inclusive.”
Bashkir also points to the collaborative, supportive, respectful
work environment. “Everyone is
very nice, and there’s also a diverse
culture,” she says. “People come
from different countries and have
different opinions, which leads to
new ideas and innovation.”
Teams are united in producing
high-quality equipment for their
defence customers. LDRS also
provides electrical and mechanical
engineering design and consulting
services, test facilities and buildto-print services for electrical
power systems and components.
“We’re very proud of our products
and the work we do to support
those who protect us,” says Daye.
We’re fiercely proud of our
people, and we work hard
to take care of them.
— Ryan Daye
Vice President, Canada
Operations
Ryan Daye, vice president, Canada operations, at Leonardo DRS Pivotal Power with his dog, Nas.
Daye points to three core values:
getting it done, looking after each
other, and having a Maritime
attitude. “Our definition of that
is family, community, a sense of
humour, humility and enjoying
each other’s company — it’s all
people based,” says Daye, who is
from New Brunswick and worked
in Ontario before returning to
Atlantic Canada. “Our employees
and their families come first, and
work comes second.”
With Bashkir’s first baby due to
arrive in March, she was planning
to take 12 months off work, with
her partner taking some time off
too. “I feel really safe taking this
maternity leave knowing that the
same or a similar role will be here
for me when I return,” she says.
