Client services at the TSB –
A support role that makes all the difference
ISSN 2369-873X
30 March 2017
Posted by Joshua Alcorn
My adventure with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) began in April 2009. Trained in police technology, I started out as a Safety Officer. I gradually rose up through the TSB ranks, gravitating toward what interested me the most. I am now a Client Support Officer on the Information Technology Management team. I have thrived in my new role and I now realize that my career choice in law enforcement probably had a lot to do with the fact that my father was a police officer.
The Client Support Officer position is tailor-made for me because I've always had an altruistic nature. When I was younger, I worked behind the counter at several grocery stores and I always made sure that customers left the store smiling. This irresistible desire to make people happy paid off: I was able to build customer loyalty and develop friendships with many of the customers.
Today, in my role at the TSB, I have the privilege of working with people whose common goal is to promote safety in Canada's various modes of transportation. I'm part of a team that handles IT resource management. Our primary goal is to ensure that IT tools add value to TSB activities. Whether it's to support the work of investigators at an accident site or the communications team at a press conference in another province, being able to count on effective, powerful technology is critical.
My role involves acting as a mediator between the Information Technology Management team and the rest of the organization. Computers and other technological resources have become indispensable to our day-to-day tasks. When a problem arises, it affects the flow of operations, so prompt action is required. Part of my job is to ensure that all IT problems get resolved in a timely manner. I also give training sessions to TSB employees on navigating new technologies. At the moment, my work is focused mainly on deploying the new Microsoft Surface Pro laptops.
On a social level, I really like the fact that the TSB is a small organization. Teamwork is strengthened by the bonds that inevitably form among the employees. I'm lucky enough to be able to say that I consider my co-workers my second family. They've always been very kind to me, particularly when life had thrown me some curveballs. This supportive and collaborative spirit inspires me to give my best each day in order to help all TSB teams do their jobs. After all, we each play a key role in improving transportation safety in Canada, whether it's in the field or at the office.
Joshua Alcorn has worked at the TSB for eight years. When he's not at work, this music buff plays guitar and sings Ed Sheeran songs. At the TSB, Josh is involved in a number of causes. Among other things, he is a member of the Mental Health Working Group because he believes that preserving employees' well-being should be a top priority.
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