Career Profile: Rhondene Simms

Happy with her current position at Serco Canada, Rhondene Simms has followed anything but a straight path to get to where she is now. Around the world and back again in her 25-year career journey, Rhondene began as an Electronics Technician for a small company in Ottawa after graduating from the Electronics Engineering Technology program at Algonquin College in 1996. It wasn’t long until she crossed the pond to Zurich, Switzerland, where she started as a Fiber Optic Technician for Nortel Networks, gradually working her way to becoming an Optical Network Engineer for the company.

After 3 years in Europe, Rhondene returned to Canada in 2003, where she took a brief pause from the technology industry. From 2005 to 2011, Rhondene worked various overseas contracts for the Department of National Defence (DND) and NATO in the IT field. Her contract with the DND took her to Afghanistan for 3 years, working with SNC-Lavalin-PAE. She also spent 8 months in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, working with ATCO-Frontec. Rhondene eventually returned home to Labrador and continued to work in the IT field until October 2019, when she moved to the role of Airfield Electronics Services Technician at Serco Canada.

Serco Canada, with deep expertise operating across all military settings, including space, marine, land, and air, provides critical support services to defense organizations around the world, operating both in-country and embedded within deployed forces. Rhodene’s position of Airfield Electronics Services Technician involves maintaining various systems used by air traffic control at the airport in Goose Bay, NL. Some of the systems she uses in her day-to-day job include airport and primary surveillance radars, Instrument Landing System (ILS), TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation radar), radio communications, and weather reporting equipment.

The type of work Rhondene immerses herself in now is exactly what she had always been interested in pursuing. “My time in the IT field was rewarding, but not on the same level as working at the base here in Goose Bay. Having a true interest in what I do makes it easy to love the job”, says Rhondene, “I feel a sense of pride when I think about how important it is to keep the various systems used by ATC operational.”

Don't let fear dictate your life. I have been afraid each time I did a career change and facing those fears hasn't been easy, but it's been worth it.

The journey hasn’t always been easy and there have certainly been some challenges along the way. The constant learning and training with every new job can be difficult at times, but with strong self-discipline, Rhondene has always been able to complete whatever has come her way. With each change in career, Rhondene experienced some fear from the uncertainty, but she never let it hold her back, “Don't let fear dictate your life. I have been afraid each time I did a career change and facing those fears hasn't been easy, but it's been worth it.” Facing her fears has led to forming many friendships around the world and experiencing out of the ordinary events such as rocket attacks and sandstorms at Kandahar Airfield, and watching an American Osprey take off. 

Overall, Rhodene’s entire career has been a rewarding experience. From being able to live in Europe, to supporting DND in a war zone, and finally, settling down at home in Goose Bay, have all provided her with a great sense of satisfaction. There have been massive learning curves along the way, but Rhondene has finally found a position she would like to remain in until retirement. The challenges of keeping air traffic control operational in Goose Bay have proved to be a source of fulfillment, and being surrounded by military aircraft is just a bonus to top it off.