By Selena Benard, Naval Training Development Centre (Pacific)

The 2018 Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Naval Technical Seminar was held with great success on November 7 and 8 in Work Point, Esquimalt, B.C. The change in venue and format for this year’s seminar allowed for a large participation from the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Department of National Defence (DND) and the numerous industry partners that form the MARPAC technical community.

This annual event showcases new technologies in the RCN and provides a platform to bring the engineering community together to discuss topical subjects and to share ideas. This year’s agenda included a wide range of fascinating and thought provoking topics including an update on the Canadian Surface Combatant Project by Captain (Navy) Harwood, the latest status of the Marine Technican (MARTECH) Training Program by CPO2 Perron, as well as a guided discussion on leadership by Commander Elbourne based his experience on the HMCS Protecteur.

The seminar was capped off by a sold-out Mess Dinner open to all ranks of the technical community. This year’s guest of honour was Mr. Mike Whalley, President of Babcock Canada, who delivered an engaging speech on mentorship. The evening provided a great opportunity for all ranks to discuss constructively and enthusiastically while nourishing the community’s esprit de corps.

The 2018 MARPAC Naval Technical Seminar was a resounding success, thanks to the exceptional efforts of PO2 Brian Hill. The team is already planning to outdo itself for the 2019 edition. Anyone interested in helping with planning or presenting at next year’s seminar should contact the Naval Training Development Center (Pacific) by email at +NTDC(P) Learning Support Request@NTDC(P)@Esquimalt.