Off the beaten career path: women in port operations
Three women, three areas of expertise and three career paths in male-dominated occupational environment: Alexia Farah, Hélène Ruel and Gabrielle Voyer-Corbeil each chose to chart their own course by following their passion for their profession, and steering clear of the mainstream.
In fact, of the range of occupations at the Port of Montreal, several remain male-dominated, notably in rail operations, engineering and infrastructure management – a situation that’s slowly but surely changing.
So, let’s find out more about the careers of these three inspiring women, their experience and their vision of professions that are genderless and boundless!
Recruited by the Port of Montreal two years ago, Alexia joined the Infrastructure Management team as a welder. In this capacity, she works on everything from fine parts to infrastructure, including vessels, railroads, walkways, signs, staircases and ramps. With 17 years of experience at the Port of Montreal as a locomotive operator, Hélène works on building and marshalling trains headed for the CN and CP networks, as well as making sure they run safely on the Port. Whether she’s in the locomotive or trackside at the terminal, her tasks include driving the locomotives, connecting the various railcars and managing the switches to route trains. Project Manager in Engineering at Infrastructure Management, Gabrielle is currently working on the project to redevelop Canest Terminal, where containerized cereals and grains such as wheat, lentils and soybeans are handled at the Port of Montreal. Her tasks also include drafting plans and specifications, carrying out work and supervising projects.
Alexia Farah, welder
Hélène Ruel, locomotive operator
Gabrielle Voyer-Corbeil, engineer
