Fast Tracking Skilled Labour Foreign Hires.

[Jamhands]

I have written a letter to Hon. Jason Kenney and my MP stating my opposition to Mr. Jones' letter.

 

I hope others will do the same as I find Fred Jones' position disgusting considering what is actually going on in the industry. I don't have a problem with TFWs filling holes that may legitimately be there but it is my personal opinion of the canadian market that there probably isn't. In fairness I don't know every detail of the industry. From what I have seen though I am willing to bet the majority of companies using the TFW program are not training Canadians to replace TFWs or working to end some of the ridiculous customer pilot minimums prevalent in the industry. 1000 hours to hop gas well leases is crazy and a company that knows how to choose good pilots and train them to do their job should be able to send a guy or girl of flight school to do it safely. But I'm getting side tracked.

 

TFWs are a quick and cheap solution that only benefit the operators, not the workers, not the aspiring hard working Canadians and not the industry as a whole.

[vortex]

For some reason the date was omitted from the copy of Fred Jones' letter that is posted. Did it ever occur to anyone that it could have been written when operators couldn't crew aircraft while the industry was in an upswing? There is probably a background story to this that isn't obvious to some of us. Pilots always want the operators to be desperate for pilots and operators always want pilots to be desperate for work.

[Freewheel]

 

dont count on HAC to push the hiring of canadian pilots. this letter should be posted on every helicopter training companies website or doorway so when the next kid who wants to blow 100k knows where he stands. I would hope that every training operator who is member of HAC would make there opposition to this policy known to Mr Jones

 

Experienced Canadian helicopter pilots and Maintenance Engineers are sought-after around the world, and during the busy summer months, many of our members have difficulty finding qualified Canadians to meet their needs. [/size][/font][/color][/background]

 

 

 

 

Perhaps Fred and the HAC should point out to their members that if they hired and trained low-time Canadian pilots, they wouldn't be so short of "qualified Canadians to meet their needs". You can't expect to poach labour and have a steady supply. Create qualified pilots if you need them, it's a whole lot cheaper in the long run.

I'm guessing you didn't catch the President's Message in the latest HAC Communique:

 

Presidents Message

 

I recently participated on a panel discussion at two Careers in Aviation Expos sponsored by WINGS & HELICOPTERS - one, in Toronto on March 1 and most recently, one in Calgary on April 26. I must say, that I was impressed by the level of enthusiasm from the young people in attendance, in both cities.

 

I still remember the frustration, and excitement that I experienced almost 30 years ago when I was trying to enter the helicopter industry. To be clear, the sessions in Toronto and Calgary were about entering the aviation industry, rather than just the helicopter industry. The focus was on many prospective careers in aviation, including Air Traffic Controller or FSS Attendant, Business Aviation pilot, MRO shops, Engineer, Flight Attendant, the Military, and in the Airlines. Personally, I couldnt understand why anyone would consider anything but the helicopter industry. Having recognized that there may be one or two that hadnt decided to enter the helicopter industry, I believed that it was my job to convince them. It didnt help that there was one corporate pilot on my panel discussion group that insisted on describing that a typical day for him started with choosing between the Eggs Benedict and an Asparagus Omelet served up for him by the Flight Attendants. I remember being served Eggs Benedict in a camp, once - by Jennifer Lawrence, as a matter of fact - but then a Driller in the bunk next to me belched - and woke me up. But I digress.

Anyone who has tried to enter the helicopter industry as a pilot particularly will remember the frustration. You cant get experience, unless you have experience. If anything, it has become worse over the years. Our customers particularly in the Oil & Gas industry, but many others, too have contractually imposed minimum flight hours and time on type requirements. I speak with, or visit many operators each month, and the issue is constantly arising in one form or another most recently in the context of the Temporary Foreign Workers debate in Ottawa. Some operators have a mentorship program, where a junior pilot flies operationally with a senior pilot (naturally, with the consent of the customer, and when operational circumstances permit) to allow the young, but otherwise qualified pilot to gain some experience under the watchful eyes of someone who is more seasoned (lets be realistic read has already made many of the mistakes himself/herself). Customers are provided with the assurance that they will not be billed for any additional flying time, required.

I believe that our industry will continue to be plagued with a critical shortage of qualified Engineers and Pilots. We have experienced some relief from this phenomenon by recent economic circumstances, but this issue is going to bite us going forward, as the economy recovers. I would encourage operators to do their part, and take on at least one new junior pilot or engineer, each year. There are still some very keen and talented young people coming in to our industry and they deserve a chance to prove themselves.

[Maury]

Forgive me for being sceptical. I am not sure of the date, but HAC did reference Calgary on April 26. That would mean that this was written after the foreign worker scandal that involved HAC members. It would mean a lot more if it were written a couple of years ago and not once they were caught. Shades of the conservative party.

[Freewheel]

It was suggested that they should do something. I am just pointing out that it has already been done.

[tin lizzie]

If by doing so, you mean by encouraging companies to take on a junior pilot per year, while wholeheartedly supporting the TFW program to the government in the first, more powerful breath, I fail to see what good has been accomplished. Other than lip service and a bit of CYA.

 

If Mr. Jones truly cared about that fate of the industry, our youth and our present core of available Canadian pilots, he would be leading by example and spearheading HAC sponsored/supported mentoring/training programs to extend a helping hand to present and future pilots and engineers. HAC would stop enabling the TFW program and convince industry to deal with the problem. As long as the TFW easy street program remains accessible, nobody in industry is going to lift a finger looking for alternatives - they're too busy trying to survive.

 

Crisis Management 101: Everyone pisses and moans about how the sky will fall lin if they can't access TFW. Rip the bandaid off I say. Similar to an engine failure, or other critical moment in business, operators and clients alike will be forced to just deal with it. And they will. How many business owners would stand idly by and allow their business to come to a grinding halt after some glitch presents itself? None. It isn't in the entrepreneurial or pilot personality to accept defeat or failure. But survival is a prime quality of the entrepreneur and pilot and as long as there is an easy solution, they are both wired to towards the easy option as it allows them to focus on other, more important crisis, and hopefully the survival/success of their business.

 

Without TFW, the sky will not fall. The show will go on.

 

My two cents, as an entrepreneur and a pilot. (available btw...)

 

tin lizzie

[vortex]

How many TFW helicopter guys are currently working in Canada today? I've been working in helicopters over 20 years and can say I don't think I've ever worked with one. I'm just curious how big of an issue this is and how many people are affected by it.

[tin lizzie]

Well, here is a partial list for 2013 - makes for an interesting read. The index can be found by clicking the blue ribbon icon if you don't see the bookmarks. Helicopter operators are bold/red. Note that some applications look like duplicates, but actually aren't. Gilles made the ATIP request in October 2013 so many files are missing, but will be available soon once the new ATIP request is processed. There is an indexed document for 2012, however that ATIP request was geared towards the airline industry and is not a complete picture. Once the revised information is received it will be indexed/published here.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/105225711/LMO%20Pilot%20applications%202013%20bookmarked%20WIP%2012May14.pdf

 

Note the qualifications are not always that high. One notorious TFW user claims that no pilots want to work in the "North". Really. Another large company couldn't find 7 bare commercial helicopter pilots with 206 endorsement (PPC was not required) and computer experience. Seriously? Another helicopter TFW application was for 20 years and quite obviously tailored to the individual.

 

Many of the LMO applicants are notorious for not responding to job ads. Since they are only required to post the ads, not actually respond to them, interview or otherwise account for the recruiting process, operators can claim whatever they want and get away with it.

[vortex]

Interesting reading there. I really didn't expect to see so many applications from the Canadian Armed Forces...

[Guest driver81]

Well Vortex I have worked with many TFW's. I have also worked with TWF's that have managed to receive there residency. Now they can work here without permits. With all the TWF's that are now landed Immigrants (they are not counted on the service Canada list as TWF's). I don't see why we need to keep hiring all the TWF's. What happened to let the market decide? The TWF program was a good Idea, but majorly abused by some of the SH**TY operators that no one wants to work for. Most of the TWF that become Landed immigrants end up leaving those companies anyways and then the Shi**Y little company hires more TFWs. When the Shi**TY Company should be shut down so there not undercutting the company next door that treat and pays employees good. Kind of sad. I don't understand why more operators are not upset.