BC's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 66
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BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Prince Rupert Port Authority recruits nationwide
A
fter working as
a policy advisor
to a Calgary city
councillor, Halie
Osmar was looking to
make a change, but the positions
available in her hometown
seemed to her unduly narrow
in their focus. Then she spotted
an ad for a job with the Prince
Rupert Port Authority that
appeared to offer a lot more
potential for professional growth.
“I just saw so much opportunity,” says Osmar, a government
relations associate with the
northern B.C. seaport. “I’m getting
hands-on experience. I’m learning
a completely new role and about
the marine trade. It’s been really
amazing.”
The Prince Rupert Port
Authority is a relatively small
organization, but it oversees operation of one of the top five ports in
Canada. Between 23 million and
30 million tonnes of cargo, worth
some $60 billion, flow through the
port annually.
“We’ve got six deep-sea terminals, including Canada’s second
largest container terminal, three
bulk terminals handling grain,
coal and biofuel and we’ve got
cruise ship facilities,” says Shaun
Stevenson, president and CEO.
“We have an expansion underway
to accommodate a logistics facility
and an energy complex to facilitate trade with the Asia Pacific.”
The organization employs
a wide range of professionals
in order to manage such large,
complex port. “Our field services
team maintains our assets,” says
Stevenson. “We have an engineering team that’s involved in project
development. We have an ambitious environmental stewardship
program. We’ve got finance roles,
business development roles and
positions in maritime safety and
security.”
Many new recruits come from
other parts of the country and
the port authority helps them get
acclimatized through its new-hires
buddy program. “They pair you
with a colleague,” says Osmar.
“I was paired with someone in
a similar role. She was close to
my age and had a wealth of
knowledge about the port. Now
that department is hiring and
I’m going to be the new-hire
buddy.”
I just saw so much
opportunity. I’m getting
hands-on experience.
I’m learning a completely
new role and about the
marine trade. It’s been
really amazing.
— Halie Osmar
Government Relations
Associate
Halie Osmar, government relations associate, at Prince Rupert Port Authority.
The port authority promotes
professional development at all
levels. “I’m a perfect example of
that,” says Stevenson. “I joined
the organization 27 years ago,
shortly after finishing university.
I started as a junior marketing
and communications officer. I’ve
had the opportunity to take on
successive roles with more and
more responsibility.”
Osmar has taken advantage
of the organization’s generous
tuition support program. Shortly
after starting, she registered
for a course offered by the
International Association of
Public Professionals. She says she
acquired skills that will serve her
well throughout her career. She’s
now planning to take a business
course through the departments
