Keeping Metro Vancouver moving takes a lot of hands: from tradespeople to SkyTrain Attendants, engineers and control room operators, these staff are critical to keeping our system moving smoothly.  

Over 8,000 employees work across TransLink, SkyTrain, and Coast Mountain Bus Company, and we’re looking for skilled tradespeople who are passionate about contributing to a vital public service.

Interested in a career in trades? Join SkyTrain’s Women in Trades event!

• 🗓️ Saturday, Nov. 28 at 10 a.m.
• 💡 Network, learn about opportunities, and hear firsthand from women
• 🎟️ Register for more details

One of those people working behind the scenes every day is Margaret McGee.  

As an Electronic Technician, she is one of the problem-solvers behind the technology on SkyTrain. She repairs and maintains the electronic systems that support everything from communications between trains and control operators to all things safety related at the stations. 

Margaret has a telecommunications diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and is currently working toward her degree in Technology Management. She’s been with SkyTrain for three years.  

Q:  What is a typical day on the job like for you?

A: Margaret McGee: I was on night shift for a long time. We come in and we have our meeting and we figure out what we’re going to do for the evening. Every day is something different, which I love.

You prep all your tools; you go over your scope of work. You talk to your coworkers because you’re always working in teams. Unless there’s an emergency, you’re prepping. Some of the emergencies that happen could involve an issue in the control room here at OMC1 (Operations and Maintenance Centre), so we look at that and try and get everything running smoothly. The preventative maintenance work is important, but it can be paused due to the emergency work that we do as well. 

[My coworkers have] always had my back, and that’s a great feeling.  

When you’re working night shift, it’s dark, it’s the middle of the night. You’ve got to trust your partner, and you’ve got to be able to rely on them and have their back too. It’s a unique sense of workmanship that builds relationships.

Day work involves a lot of preventative maintenance, which is just as important as the reactive maintenance we perform. We test the fire systems, the PA systems, clean CCTV cameras, ensuring SkyTrain is safe and secure for our customers. 

Q: What parts of your job do you enjoy most?  

A: Margaret McGee: Working with my hands, and the sense of accomplishment when you build something, or when you commission a system and it works after. It’s a good feeling. 

I enjoy solving technical problems. Sometimes, we have the time to tinker and tweak and see what’s working and what’s not working. Sometimes we don’t have the time because there is a critical issue. We reach out to our coworkers, and that’s when that experience comes in handy. Some of the people have been here for over 20 years in this department and they’re such good resources. Everyone’s always willing to help, we have the same goal. We all want the SkyTrain to run safely. 

Q: What is something people might not know about your job? 

A: Margaret McGee: Probably the technical aspect. As most people know, the trains are automatic. Figuring out how that works and how they drive themselves is interesting. There are so many safety measures in place that [keep you] safe, even though you don’t necessarily see them. It’s all in the background. 
 

Q: What would you say to someone who is unsure about pursuing a career in the trades? 

A: Margaret McGee: We’re always going to need trades. I don’t think AI’s going to take over the trades. I read an article the other day that said a plumber is going to make more than a lawyer in the next 15 years.  

Our skill set is unique and specialized to SkyTrain in general. It is a learning curve when you decide to make the move, but it’s so interesting and worth it! 

Q: Is there any advice that you can give to young women looking to pursue a career in the trades?  

A: Margaret McGee: We want more women to be in the trades, and especially here at SkyTrain. Having confidence is important, but also, finding a mentor or a support system when you get here is great. I am lucky to have some awesome coworkers, and I always felt part of the team. 

Just be confident. It’s about having the self-assurance to know that you belong here just as much as anybody else does.