You'll also be working to help connect towns and cities all around Canada, with the railway. The VIA Rail website said that they operate 420 trains a week on 12,500 kilometres of train tracks. The company also has ambitious goals for the future.
"Over the coming years, together, we will tackle ambitious passenger rail modernization and expansion projects. We will also experience the retirement of many colleagues. This will open the door to a wealth of opportunities for motivated individuals who embrace our mission and values," the website said.
Right now there are job openings with VIA Rail in Montreal, London, Brantford, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Gillam for a bunch of different roles. Luckily there are some that you don't need a university degree to apply for, but you can still make a decent amount of money.
Below are some job openings that don't require a university to apply to, and some pay as much as $35 an hour. To see the other available positions across the country you can go to the VIA Rail website and apply there.
Station Attendant and Counter Sales Agent
Location: London, ON and Brantford, ON
Salary: $25.89 to $29.99 per hour.
Who Should Apply: Via Rail is hiring Station Attendants and Counter Sales Agents in London and Brantford, so if you live in either city it could be a good fit for you. Training for this role starts in January 29, 2024, so you can start out the new year with a new job.
This position is in charge of greeting customers and helping them with a variety of needs, so strong people skills are needed and solid customer service. On top of guiding passengers through the station and on the platform, you'll also be verifying tickets, and doing janitorial tasks both in and outside the station. You might need to load supplied and handle baggage and work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
Flexibility is also key for this position as your shifts might be on weekends and holidays, and vary between four and 10 hours per day. They might also start bright and early, at 6:30 a.m., or go until 11:00 p.m. No university degree is required to apply for this role, but you do need to have a high school diploma and a valid driver's licence. You'll also need customer service experience to apply.
Apply with VIA Rail
Station Service Attendant
Location: Toronto, ON
Salary: $25.89 to $29.99 per hour.
Who Should Apply: The job positing for this role highlighted that people will experience working in hotel tourism or the airline industry could be good for this job. You'll also need to speak French and English and be a customer service pro for this position. Although this job is mostly based in Toronto you might need to take some shifts at the Oshawa and Oakville VIA Rail stations, and have a flexible schedule overall. 20 hours a week is guaranteed with this job, but you might be able to work up to 40 hours a week, with varying shifts.
If you land this job you'll be responsible for helping passengers with their needs and welcoming them into the station. The job posting also said that "no two days are the same" in this role, so be prepared to work under pressure and think on your feet. Responsibilities of this job include checking tickets, making announcements, and handling baggage.
You'll need a high school diploma to apply, as well as a driver's licence.
Apply with VIA Rail
Passenger Car Cleaners (General Workers)
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Salary: $32.39 per hour.
Who Should Apply: This is a high-paying role, and you'll be working 40 hours a week in it. The person in this job will be working at the Montreal Maintenance Center in Pointe St-Charles, and be responsible for cleaning the passenger railway cars. This will mean vacuuming, washing the carpets, cleaning bathrooms, and draining water retention reservoirs.
You should be flexible with your schedule if you apply to this role, as you might have to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. They do offer evening and night bonuses though, the job posting said.
To apply you should have experience as a cleaner, a high school diploma, and a diploma in mechanics, thinning, pipe fitting or welding is an asset for this job.
Apply with VIA Rail
Locomotive Attendant
Location: vancouver, B.C.
Salary: $35.39 per hour.
Who Should Apply: This job could be a fit for someone who loves outdoor work and is comfortable operating heavy-duty equipment, plus works well under pressure. The person who gets this did will be working at the VIA Rail Vancouver Maintenance Centre location. You will be making sure the locomotives here move safely, and be responsible for general cleaning, using industrial tools, and various other duties.
You would be guaranteed 40 hours a week of work in this role, but your schedule will have to be flexible since shifts vary based on seniority. Before applying you should make sure that you're available to work on evenings and weekends, have a high school diploma, and can lift up to 50lbs. You should also have a driver's licence, and experience working in a similar role is also an asset. The job posting also said that having a C.R.O.R. certification is an asset as well.
This job comes with some great perks on top of the high pay, like full detail benefits, five personal days and vacation time.
Apply with VIA Rail
If these jobs have your interest piqued then dust off that resume and get applying. Good luck!
