Youth on Board: Jasmine Saunders and the Indigenous Career Pivot Project
Meet Jasmine Saunders, a Business Manager with Miawpukek Horizon Marine Services.
Based in St. John’s, N.L., Jasmine initially joined Miawpukek Horizon in 2021 as part of the Indigenous Career Pivot Project funded by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.
She was exposed to the marine industry when she was completing work terms with public and private sector employers as part of her Bachelor of Commerce Co-op degree. After completing a Master’s degree in employment relations, she was looking for more opportunities.
“That’s when I came across the Indigenous Career Pivot Project. That was a great program to get my foot in the door,” she said. “I had some really interesting interviews with some member companies, and I felt that Miawpukek horizon was the best fit.”
Jasmine says she appreciates the collaborative environment at the company, and the ability to propose and lead projects.
In the first year, she oversaw Miawpukek Horizon’s Cadet and Indigenous Trainee program, collaborating with nautical institutes across Canada and the company’s Indigenous partners.
Jasmine and her supervisor have since developed an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy for the company, as well as cultural competency training that’s relevant to the Indigenous communities they partner with.
She was recently promoted from Human Resources Coordinator to Business Manager. In the new role, she focuses more on business development, operational oversight and reporting, and building on strategic Indigenous and sustainability partnerships.
Jasmine also supports crew mobilizations for vessels and health & safety operations. That includes supporting the Polar Prince, an icebreaker owned by Miawpukek Horizon and contracted by the SOI Foundation for research, education and training programs.
“That really helped give me a broader overview of the marine industry,” she said.
A Nunatsiavut Inuk from her father’s side, Jasmine said helping those from Indigenous communities find career pathways in the marine sector has been rewarding. The Indigenous Reconciliation and Awareness Module training offered through the Supercluster motivated her further.
“I reached out to several candidates from the community, for example, that were looking for a change in their career. I was able to work with the First Nation and link them to the proper training, provide some information about what was required regulations wise, get them on board a vessel and actually just kind of take them from that point and link them up with the relevant marine training to have a career in the industry.”
Jasmine says there are many valuable and rewarding opportunities in the marine sector, especially amidst the current labour shortage.
Working on a vessel allows one to travel, gain hands-on training, work with diverse people, and be exposed to various opportunities.
“And with most of these jobs, you’ll get to be home for half of the year is what it works out being. So you don’t need to leave your community,” she said.