Roads and Sidewalks

Thomas has been working as an Assistant Working Foreman with the City of Vancouver for 3 years, and has been working in the industry for 26 years.

What does your job entail?

I am responsible for the sidewalk maintenance of 10,400 city blocks in the City of Vancouver. My crews and I look after after all “trips” – literally, the problematic areas of a sidewalk that cause tripping – and potholes in the city.

Describe a typical day.

I organize up to 7 crews, which is around 25 people. I balance staff, equipment, and paperwork; I organize and prioritize the days’ work, and assess and handle risk management cases. I inspect all trips due to broken concrete and/or tree root heaved sidewalk stones. I also inspect all potholes, curbs and gutters needing repair.

What other functions are you involved with?

I  enjoy being the host of Vancouver’s Public Works Week, where I work with children and the public promoting safety. I am on the Safety Committee Board and the Vancouver Strategic Planning Committee, and I also volunteered for Vancouver Clean Crew for the Olympics.

What do you like most about your job?

My job offers me the best of all worlds; half of my day is spent in the field, the other in the office. I have the ability to move around, and I work with a number of different people and in a variety of situations: from looking after fillet crews to overseeing the magnacrete crew, no two days are the same. I enjoy dealing with the public, and look forward to the challenging situations that arise.

What do you like most about the industry?

This industry provides great job security, benefits and great hours; I work dayshift, and have weekends and holidays off to spend with my family. There is a lot of flexibility in this field, with many options to help you excel in any field you like. There are countless opportunities for training and advancement, and transferability within the industry is easy.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in Parks and Public Works?

PPWG offers earn-while-you-learn training to our employees, but I suggest that anyone considering a career in this field get ahead of the game and take courses such as  ”Introduction to Road Maintenance” and “Map (blueprints) Reading” at BCIT. I also suggest that people take the initiative and send their resume to their local municipality, regardless of whether there is a current job posting that they are interested in.