Northumberland Ferries Limited (NFL)

by Gloria Welton

Northumberland Ferries Limited (NFL) crosses between Wood Islands, PEI and Caribou, Nova Scotia. The ferry service operates from May to December with two vessels.

Bay Ferries Limited (BFL) sails from Saint John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia year-round, and from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia to Bar Harbor, Maine, seasonally.

“We are currently recruiting for the 2023 season,” says Gaylene Colborne, Human Resources Coordinator for both ferry services.

“At NFL, we are looking for people to fill casual entry-level positions, which are customer service focused. Employees in these roles perform duties including cleaning, interacting with passengers, serving food, and working in the toll booth.”

Gaylene says they look for people who have great customer service skills and abilities. “We look for people who may have experience with custodial work and are very friendly. Being bilingual is a great asset but not mandatory.

“The work season for these jobs begins in the later part of June and ends around Labour Day weekend, depending upon the need.”

Both companies are unionized. NFL has about 150 staff. Most positions are seasonal, starting between March and June and ending between September and December, with some management positions being year-round. The head office for both companies is in Charlottetown and it is open year-round.

BFL has about 150 staff. Most positions are year-round and typically work seven days on and seven days off. There are also casual and other positions.

Gaylene says in the next four years they anticipate about 30 percent of their workforce will face retirement. “We have staff who have been with us for the long-term, for example, one staff person is coming back for his 48th season.

“Typically, our employees build a career with us. With sponsored training opportunities and investments in our employees, there are long-term possibilities.”

Tips for the application process

“Use an appropriate email address when applying,” says Gaylene, who says first impressions make a difference, even when applying online. “Also, be engaged and make great eye contact during the interview.

“When I do interviews, I try to make it a very relaxed atmosphere where we can get to know the candidates. I make the interview more of a conversation to get to know each other. I express what we are looking for in an employee and give the candidate a chance to express what they are looking for in a job.

“One question I ask the candidate is to tell me something about themselves that is not on their resumé, which opens the door to more conversation.”