Get to Know your Training Specialist – Jamie England
Jamie England is one of our highly experienced Training Specialists. We sat down with him to find out more about him and how he decided to choose training as a career path.
Tell us about your educational background?
Jamie: I graduated from Acadia University in 1996 with a degree in Education. Over the years I have added to my educational training by completing Adult Education Programs from Dalhousie University and Henson College. I have also collected specific accreditations for industry work such as Enform’s H2S Alive Instructor program, the “Train the Trainer” program from the Advanced Rescue Techniques School of Canada., and recently the LEEA Foundation Course (North American Version).
What made you decide to into this industry?
Jamie: The rigging field is similar to some of my experiences conducting Technical Rope Rescue seminars across Canada, as well as work I have conducted at height across the Atlantic and Western provinces. It deals with inspections of gear, load calculations, proper rigging techniques and the lifting and lowering of equipment and personnel. It seemed like a logical progression from previous fields of experience while at the same time providing new challenges.
Can you tell us about your work experience before joining Hercules SLR?
Jamie: Once I completed my University Degree I joined a local Nova Scotia company called Survival Systems Training Ltd. It was here that I spent a number of years conducting training in such varied fields as sea survival, Helicopter Underwater Egress Training (HUET), industrial firefighting, confined space entry and rescue, fall protection, and technical rope rescue. I was fortunate to be able to conduct these courses in Alaska, Scotland, Cuba, Egypt across Canada and the USA.
From SSTL I moved onto another local company, Frontline Safety Ltd where I began a career working offshore off the coasts of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Brazil as a H2S Safety Supervisor. During this time, I also spent 11 months as the permit coordinator for the construction and commissioning phase of the Erik Raude Drilling Vessel, as well being the Safety Health and Environment coordinator for the Sable Tier II commissioning program.
On top of this, it is safe to say I have spent considerable time managing safety related jobs in every pulp mill and refinery in Atlantic Canada and beyond allowing myself to build up a wealth of experience of the many different facets of work in heavy industry in this country.
What made you want to transition into training?
Jamie: training was always something I had a particular skill for. I studied at a university level and gained a degree in education. I spent a total of 8 years training at Survival Systems and another 8 at Frontline in which conducting adult education was a requirement of the job. It is something I enjoy and something I am particularly good at, so it was never really a transition, instead it was an evolution. Now I am happy to bring these skills and experiences to another local Nova Scotian company, HerculesSLR.
Why did you decide to work for Hercules SLR?
Jamie: Hercules SLR has always had a strong reputation in industry, and after having worked for companies run out of Alberta or America I am appreciative of the fact this is a local Nova Scotian company with Nova Scotian sensibilities…something that cannot be undervalued, in my opinion. It was also exciting knowing I was walking into a situation where Hercules was looking to expand their training footprint and was willing to commit the finances to do so properly. It’s exciting times with our new training school nearing completion. I am glad to be a part of it.
Where have you traveled during your time as a training specialist for Hercules SLR?
Jamie: A great deal of the training that we deliver is based in the maritime provinces, but we can deliver training anywhere in Canada. The majority of the training I’ve delivered is mainly in Nova Scotia, but I’ve also delivered training in Newfoundland, PEI and New Brunswick as well.
Where have you enjoyed traveling to most for training?
Jamie: in my career I still have great fondness for Brazil, Alaska and Scotland. Three very unique parts of the world with beautiful landscapes, interesting customs and vibrant people.
Is there anywhere that you would like to travel to in the future with Hercules SLR?
Jamie: I have pretty much seen all of Canada and most of the US during my work-related travels. I am always happy to travel to Europe, South America, Africa…so if there is any training to be done in any of these locals….I’m your man!
Lastly, is there anything that you hope to accomplish during your career in the industry?
Jamie: I am hoping to get more LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association) courses under my belt. I would like to become an expert in the field, and then to
provide that expertise all over the world. This will require a lot of work on my end, but this is, I believe, where my future lies.
To view all of the training opportunities that Hercules SLR has to offer, click here.
